Lawyers: Men Arrested Over Attack on Journalist Ranucci Did Not Know Him

Several men arrested in connection with an attack on Italian investigative journalist Sigfrido Ranucci have returned to face further questioning from prosecutors, according to reports in the Italian press.

Ranucci is the host of the current affairs programme Report, known for its coverage of politically and criminally sensitive topics. The exact details of the attack itself have not been fully disclosed in available reports.

The defence lawyers representing the arrested men issued a statement rejecting claims linking their clients directly to the case. They said their clients did not know Ranucci, nor did they have any relationship with a man identified as Lavitola, who has reportedly been connected to the investigation.

The lawyers also pushed back against suggestions that the attack involved a mafia-style method, a term used in Italian legal and media contexts to describe crimes carried out with the organisational traits or intimidation tactics associated with organised crime groups.

According to the summary of events, investigators are examining the role played by a man described as Lavitola's factotum — someone who reportedly carried out various tasks or errands on his behalf. This individual's connection to the alleged perpetrators appears to be a key focus of the ongoing investigation.

The case has generated significant public interest in Italy, in part because of Ranucci's prominence as a journalist whose work has previously touched on organised crime and political corruption. Attacks on journalists are treated with particular seriousness under Italian law, given concerns about press freedom and the safety of reporters covering sensitive subjects.

Prosecutors have not publicly detailed the full evidence against the arrested men, and the defence's statements represent only one side of an ongoing legal process. As is standard in such cases, the men are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

Further questioning of the suspects is expected to continue as prosecutors work to determine the precise circumstances surrounding the attack and clarify the alleged connections between the arrested men, Lavitola, and the wider case.