Bomb Explodes Outside the Home of Italy's Top Investigative Journalist
Italy: A bomb containing 1 kg of explosives exploded outside the home of Italy's top investigative journalist, Sigfrido Ranucci, in Pomezia, near Rome, at around 10 pm on October 16, 2025. The blast nearly destroyed both cars owned by Ranucci and his daughter, and damaged a nearby house.
Sigfrido Ranucci, host of the investigative program "Report," aired on state broadcaster RAI, is Italy's most renowned investigative journalist and has been under police protection since 2010. His program is known for its in-depth reporting on corruption and organized crime, and he has faced numerous threats and intimidation for this.
The journalist told RAI on Friday that the bomb was planted outside the main entrance of his home in Campo Ascolano, about 30 kilometers south of Rome. The bomb exploded 20 minutes after Ranucci's daughter parked her car. No injuries were reported in the attack.
The journalist said he could not say whether the bomb was related to his work. "Last summer, a year ago, we found two P38 bullets outside our house. Since then, several unusual situations have occurred in recent months, starting with an attempt to discredit me," he told a media outlet.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned the "serious act of intimidation" and said that "liberty and freedom of information are essential values of our democracy, which we will continue to defend."
Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said he had ordered the journalist's security to be increased "to the maximum." The journalist was provided with an armored car and armed escort, as he himself announced while leaving the Carabinieri office where he had filed the complaint.
Ranucci joined public broadcaster RAI in 1991 and has dedicated most of his career to investigative journalism. His program "Report" has often clashed with the government, resulting in several members of Meloni's right-wing coalition—including Finance Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti, Industry Minister Adolfo Urso, his Brothers of Italy party, and his cabinet chief Gaetano Caputi—filing lawsuits against the program.
Opposition parties have urged the anti-mafia committee in Parliament to hold an immediate hearing for Ranucci to hear his side of the case.
