Italian businessman Valter Lavitola under investigation over bomb attack on reporter Sigfrido Ranucci's home

Italian prosecutors have placed businessman and former journalist Valter Lavitola under investigation over an alleged bomb attack at the home of investigative reporter Sigfrido Ranucci near Rome. The case centres on an explosion that took place last October outside Ranucci's house and damaged vehicles but did not injure anyone. Police arrested four people last week in connection with the alleged execution of the attack.

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Investigators suspect Lavitola of having masterminded the bombing and are examining him on suspicion of trying to cause mass murder. According to the available account, the bomb was described as rudimentary but powerful and detonated shortly after Ranucci returned home at night. One car belonging to Ranucci and another owned by his daughter were almost destroyed, while no one was hurt in the blast.

Ranucci has for years been under police protection because of threats made against him. He is the host of Report, an investigative programme on the state broadcaster Rai, and has said he was shocked by the alleged involvement of Lavitola, whom he described as a close friend. He also said the last time they were in contact was when police were searching his home, and that Lavitola appeared agitated during that exchange.

The investigation has wider significance because it concerns an alleged attack on a prominent journalist whose work has repeatedly placed him in the public eye. The case also raises questions about the safety of reporters in Italy and the risks faced by those covering politically sensitive or legally contentious subjects. The fact that the blast happened outside Ranucci's home, rather than in a public setting, has added to the concern around the case.

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The reported relationship between the two men adds another layer to the inquiry. The available material says they became friends in 2019 after Ranucci carried out a journalistic investigation into Lavitola, who has previously been involved in several legal proceedings, including a conviction for extorting the late former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi. Lavitola now owns a restaurant in Rome where Ranucci regularly eats, according to the report.

Investigators have not yet established a motive for the attack, and it remains unclear who ordered the bombing or why. The next steps are likely to focus on whether the four arrests and the inquiry into Lavitola can establish a chain of command behind the blast. For now, the case remains an active criminal investigation with implications for press freedom and personal security around one of Italy's best-known investigative journalists.

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