| National Vanguard | |
|---|---|
| Avanguardia Nazionale | |
 Flag of the Avanguardia Nazionale | |
| Leaders | Stefano Delle Chiaie Adriano Tilgher |
| Dates of operation | 1960–1976 |
| Active regions | Italy |
| Ideology | Neo-fascism Neo-Nazism |
| Major actions | Right-wing terrorism |
| Allies | Ordine Nuovo |
| Battles and wars | Years of Lead |
TheNational Vanguard (Italian:Avanguardia Nazionale) is a name that has been used for at least twoneo-fascist andneo-Nazi groups inItaly.
The original National Vanguard was an extra-parliamentary movement formed as a breakaway group from theItalian Social Movement (MSI) byStefano Delle Chiaie in 1960, initially based around a group of youths recruited by the government to break up leftist meetings.[1] The Vanguard rejected the parliamentary route of the Social Movement, preferring instead to work outside the political system to subvertdemocracy and bring about a return tofascism. A leaflet produced by the group described them as in favour of "man-to-man engagements" in which their members were to be encouraged to be as ruthless as possible.[2]
Members of the movement were frequently denounced as terrorists and it was claimed that Della Chiaie had links to bomb making concerns inSpain. The group also had close links withOrdine Nuovo and other extremist groups.Vincenzo Vinciguerra was a notorious member of the group. The group was adjudged responsible for a series of bomb attacks in Italy in 1969, the most notorious of which was thePiazza Fontana bombing.[3] The group also took a leading role in the abortive coup attempt byJunio Valerio Borghese the following year.[4]
Avanguardia Nazionale is also accused of organising the assassination of Italian magistrateVittorio Occorsio, allegedly employing arms supplied by theCIA via its contacts in Francoist Spain, although no firm evidence exists to support this allegation. For the killingPierluigi Concutelli, not a member of Avanguardia Nazionale at the time, served a life sentence in Italy. Avanguardia Nazionale memberMario Ricci participated to the 1978 assassination ofArgala, theetarra who had taken part, five years before, in the assassination ofFrancisco Franco's prime minister,Luis Carrero Blanco.[5]
A second group bearing this name was set up in 1970 byAdriano Tilgher, but this movement was outlawed by theItalian government, who saw it as an attempt to refound theNational Fascist Party.[6]
A neo-fascist magazine entitledAvanguardia continues to be published monthly. It may claim to be the official organ of the National Vanguard, although the movement remains illegal in Italy—the official movement to whichAvanguardia is connected is theComunità Politica di Avanguardia (Political Vanguard Community).
