In keeping with the tradition of “Per Aspera ad Veritatem”, this number opens with a report of the inauguration ceremony of the Intelligence Service Training School. As can be noted from the tone and content of the various contributions, it was not a purely formal event, but rather an occasion to present an up-to-date picture of the more sensitive phenomena today, as illustrated in our Director’s speech. The redefinition of the strategic lines of the security policy, as outlined by the Home Secretary was extremely interesting, while the opportunity to reflect on the highly interesting theme of ‘terrorism and the financial markets’ was given thanks to Prof. Michele Bagella.

We then proceed with an analysis, in all its aspects, of the migration phenomena. This is debated in forum, by an illustrious high-level group of speakers. The group is composed of the Undersecretary of State, Alfredo Mantovano, the Director of SISMi, Nicolò Pollari, demografo Antonio Golini and the Director General of CENSIS, Giuseppe Roma.

A discussion with a group of readers who voiced their satisfaction regarding the mixed structure of our journal (i.e. the participation of people from both inside and outside of the Service) continues on themes of great topical interest, from the Balkans to Sardinia; from ‘lobbying’ to the Nigerian Mafia and finally, from the globalization in China to the strategies of Bin Laden and global judicial opinions. On this last issue, reflections are made by Stefano Dambruoso who has been a front line magistrate in the fight against integralist extremism.

The review closes with an original analysis on graphology seen as a solid scientific branch of psychology.

One last note on the index: ‘ From the Archives to History’ presents documents that demonstrate, perhaps, that ‘there is nothing new under the sun’. Less than a century ago a problem emerged which was considered a factor of instability for our country: the increasing flow of clandestine immigrants at the ‘frontiers of the kingdom’. The same theme which we will debate today in Forum.