Anarchist couple killed in explosion while building bomb near Rome

Two Italian anarchists were killed in an explosion outside Rome, authorities say, in what local media reports was an apparent bomb-making incident tied to a planned protest.

The blast happened on Friday at a cabin in a rural area near Rome. The victims were identified as Sara Ardizzone and Alessandro Mercogliano, both known to law enforcement for their involvement in anarchist politics. The device detonated while it was being assembled.

Investigators are looking at whether the pair were preparing an attack connected to the case of jailed anarchist figure Alfredo Cospito. He is currently serving a 20-year sentence for carrying out a series of bombings and attacks targeting the state.

Italian newspaper La Repubblica reported the suspected plan was not intended to cause casualties but was instead “an act of protest.” Officials have not publicly confirmed the exact target or scope of the alleged action, and the investigation is ongoing.

Cospito, 58, is being held under Italy’s strict "41-bis" measures, a prison system typically reserved for organized crime figures and terrorism cases. The conditions limit contact with the outside world. His detention status has drawn criticism from some advocacy groups, who argue the measures are too harsh.

The case has been under renewed attention ahead of a court decision expected in May, which will determine whether the restrictions on Cospito will be eased. He previously undertook a hunger strike in protest of the conditions.

Ardizzone and Mercogliano had publicly aligned themselves with anarchist politics. During a 2025 court appearance, Ardizzone described their relationship and political alignment, stating that she and Mercogliano were “partners in life and in the struggle,” according to Corriere della Sera.

In the same testimony, she defended the use of force in certain contexts, saying, “There’s an enormous difference between the violence of the oppressed and that of the oppressors: the former follows an ethical code, the latter, none.”