French police have arrested an Italian Red Brigade fugitive sentenced to jail in Italy a decade ago for his part in the killing an air force general.
Paolo Persichetti, arrested in Paris while he was out walking yesterday evening, had been on the run since 1992 when a court sentenced him to 18 years in jail for his role in the killing of General Licio Giorgieri in Rome in 1987.
An Interior Ministry spokeswoman said Persichetti (40) was believed to have belonged to an offshoot of the leftist Red Brigade guerrilla group, which terrorised Italy in the 1970s and 1980s.
"He was arrested by the French police last night while he was walking alone in Paris," she said. "He must now serve 18 years in jail."
Persichetti was being held in Turin today after French police handed him over to Italian authorities.
Police have stepped up their investigation of crimes by Red Brigade guerrillas after a second generation group took responsibility for the murder in March of Mr Marco Biagi, co-author of controversial government labour reforms. The killing sparked fears in Italy that there could be a resurgence of violence.
Italy tightened security for Agriculture Minister Giovanni Alemanno last month after finding leaflets allegedly signed by Red Brigade guerrillas containing threats against him and two union leaders.