A 74-year-old former member of Italy’s radical far-left Red Brigades group has escaped from house arrest in Argentina, authorities confirmed. Leonardo Bertulazzi, who was awaiting extradition to Italy to serve a 27-year prison sentence, reportedly used a harness and rope to descend from his fifth-floor apartment in Buenos Aires.
The escape occurred on Tuesday morning, with Bertulazzi’s disappearance not immediately noted due to tampering with his electronic ankle monitor. Officials said he had devised a method to circumvent the device’s sensors, using materials such as pork fat and a heating pad to maintain a false reading of his body temperature and movements. This allowed him to remove the monitor without triggering an alarm.
Police became suspicious when the ankle monitor ceased transmitting data and proceeded to Bertulazzi’s residence, only to find him missing. The ankle monitor was discovered at the scene. Explosives experts were initially called in as a precaution due to Bertulazzi’s history, but determined the device had not been rigged to detonate.
Bertulazzi was convicted in absentia in Italy for terrorism-related crimes, including involvement in the 1977 kidnapping of Italian naval engineer Pietro Costa. He had spent decades as a fugitive before being arrested in Argentina in 2002 using a false passport. He was granted refugee status in 2004 but it was revoked in 2024, leading to his re-arrest and placement under house arrest.
The current right-wing administration in Argentina, under President Javier Milei, had taken a firm stance on Bertulazzi’s extradition, with the government stating he was responsible for crimes that “undermined democratic values and the lives of many victims.” Italy’s Security Ministry has offered a reward for information leading to his recapture.
Bertulazzi’s conviction stems from his membership in the Red Brigades, a Marxist guerrilla group active in Italy during the 1970s and 1980s, a period known as the “Years of Lead.” The group was responsible for numerous attacks and kidnappings, most notably the 1978 abduction and murder of former Italian Prime Minister Aldo Moro. Reports suggest that funds generated from the kidnapping of Pietro Costa were used to finance the Red Brigades’ activities.
Italian media reported that Bertulazzi’s extradition to Italy was imminent after his final appeal was rejected. The complex legal history of his case in Argentina involved an initial arrest in 2002, followed by a court rejection of Italy’s extradition request in 2003 due to concerns about trial in absentia. He was subsequently granted refugee status, which was eventually revoked, leading to his most recent arrest and house arrest.
A nationwide manhunt is currently underway for Bertulazzi, with authorities seeking any information that could lead to his apprehension and subsequent extradition to Italy. The circumstances of his escape, involving rappelling from a significant height and the sophisticated tampering of his electronic monitoring device, have drawn comparisons to cinematic thrillers.
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