This first issue of 1999 aims at attracting the reader's attention on a variety of topics which - examined either separately or together - cover the main areas of intelligence activity at the end of this millennium.
In the opening interview we ask Piero Luigi VIGNA, National antimafia Prosecutor, a few questions on the current state of affairs in the fight against organised crime. This interesting conversation offers several inputs for further discussions on various aspects of such a difficult task. Alessandro BUTTICE' 's contribution on the emerging problems connected with introducing the EURO also touches upon some aspects of the criminal organisations' activities. In this respect, worthy of a mention is the first important anti-counterfeiting operation - involving an organisation active in Palermo - carried out thanks to inputs by the British Security Service and by SISDe.
Over the last few months the topic of new religious movements has been examined in some depth in our Magazine with the publication of articles, reports and reviews. Without going into an evaluation of contemporary cultural trends, the subject is of great interest as some of its aspects pose a threat to national security or affect principles (such as the protection of psychic integrity) specifically and carefully provided for in our legislation.
A qualified forum on this subject is published in the present issue. Some of the most outstanding experts analyse the phenomenon of new cults from every possible point of view in order to understand its origins and to assess the impact on the personal, social and security levels, in the wake of the Jubilee in the year 2000.
An abstract from the Report by the Swiss Advisory Committee for State Protection on Scientology and a review of the interesting volume "L'illusione comunitaria" by Prof. Mario DI FIORINO, a psychiatrist, deal with the same topic.
Security and unemployment (COFFERATI), strategical problems in the Arab world (STRIKA), information warfare (DI NUNZIO), international issues related to the Islamic world, to the balance of power in the Balkans and in the South-East of Europe (PIACENTINI) are some of the other subject matters selected for publication in the present volume. In addition, two articles, one by Marco VALENTINI, Chief Editor of this magazine, and one by Umberto ECO, published a few years ago on a periodical but still of great significance, focus on "intelligence".
The half-yearly report submitted by the Prime Minister, Massimo D'ALEMA, to Parliament on the Government Intelligence and Security policy is also a very significant document from the intelligence point of view.
As usual "Per Aspera ad Veritatem" makes room for documents on foreign realities and experiences. This time we publish some information on Japan's intelligence system, an abstract from a recent and extremely thorough Czech law on classified information and a judgement by the United States Supreme Court on an intelligence key issue: the protection of intelligence sources' identity.
Constant attention is devoted to new technologies. Two contrasting judgements are published in Part III. They illustrate the "state of the art" in Italian jurisprudence on a subject both vital and controversial - Internet providers' responsibility.
In Part V, we present an innovation that we hope will become a regular feature of our magazine: a short interview with the author of one of the books reviewed. In this issue we start with Edward LUTTWAK. The reading of other interesting books is also recommended, among them (yet to be published in Italy) VICKERS' history of the tragically topical Kosovo region and BREITMAN's controversial text on the still pending question on a possible prevention of the "Shoah".
Finally, in the section devoted to Historical Curios, an enjoyable reading by STRONG is presented. In it the link between intelligence and the decision-making process is once again highlighted as a key to interpret major historical events.