Palermo (Italy), Jan 13 (IANS/AKI) The Sicilian mafia intended to blow up prosecutor Nino Di Matteo and bought 200 kg of the explosive TNT to do so, according to an informant, police said.
The order to murder Di Matteo came from the Sicilian mafia's fugitive 'boss of bosses' Matteo Messina Denaro, turncoat Vito Galatolo told prosecutors.
In a letter, Messina Denaro said the prosecutor "had gone too far", Galatolo alleged.
The TNT cost 700,00 euros, of which 250,000 was raised by the sale of 30 garages, Galatolo said.
The sale of the garages was handled by prominent Palermo lawyer Marcello Marcatajo, who was arrested on Tuesday along with eight other Sicilian mafia suspects, including an engineer.
Palermo prosecutor Vittorio Teresi told the media that Marcatajo was "a prime example of the mire of professionals at the service of the mafia".
Marcatajo, 69, is accused of running the business affairs of the Sicilian mafia's Aquasanta clan.
--IANS/AKI
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