In 1990, the Prime Minister of Italy blew the whistle on a network of secret service operatives known as Operation Gladio. The group staged or aided in bombings for decades, which were blamed on Communists. Often, children were targeted to make the attacks more dramatic.

In many cases, intelligence operatives would recruit a mentally unstable “patsy” and then supply them with explosives and directions.

[General Pietro Musumeci, n°2 of SISMI and revealed in 1981 to be a member of Propaganda Due (P2) masonic lodge, was charged with having created falsified evidence to charge Roberto Fiore and Gabriele Andinolfi, two leaders of Terza Posizione who had fled in exile to London, of the bombing.[18] Both Terza Posizione leaders claimed that Musumeci was trying to divert attention from Licio Gelli, head of P2.[18]