Cable Briefs (Press, 25 July 1980)
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Summary: Cable Briefs (Press, 25 July 1980)
A tragic incident occurred in Bilbao, Spain, where a time-bomb explosion claimed the lives of a nine-month pregnant gypsy teenager and her 12-year-old brother. The 2kg bomb detonated outside a nursery that belonged to a radical Basque nationalist town councillor, leading to serious injuries for a rubbish collector in the vicinity. This bombing followed a warning from callers claiming to represent Basque nationalists who indicated that a campaign of bombings would be launched in Spanish holiday resorts. In Italy, the Parliament commenced a joint debate regarding allegations against Prime Minister Francesco Cossiga, accused of aiding a friend’s son in evading arrest on urban guerrilla charges. Marco Donat Cattin, the alleged guerrilla and son of a notable Christian Democratic politician, is wanted for murder. This situation marked the first time since World War II that an Italian Prime Minister’s actions were under scrutiny by a united Senate and Chamber of Deputies, with expected discussions to continue into the weekend. Mr Cossiga has emphatically denied any wrongdoing, and it is anticipated he will endure this inquiry. In a separate case in London, a man named Germano Grotti has been sentenced to life imprisonment for arson after he set fire to the Italian Consulate, causing damages estimated at $4.8 million. The judge at the Old Bailey declined to pause proceedings for psychiatric evaluations despite Grotti's assertions relating to his mental health, stemming from frustrations with the Italian authorities regarding the loss of his wallet years earlier. Alongside the life sentence, Grotti received an additional three-year sentence for threatening the Italian Consul directly. Meanwhile, in Hong Kong, an investigation has been launched after the mysterious death of Inspector John MacLennan, a police officer found dead in his flat with five bullet wounds. His body was discovered on January 15 and the circumstances surrounding his death have raised considerable questions. Fellow officers reported they sought to arrest him on charges related to homosexuality, which is illegal in Hong Kong. A colleague later suggested he had been instructed to frame Inspector MacLennan, who had previously claimed to be persecuted due to his knowledge about senior officers’ homosexual activities.
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