Boss of Bosses (49 page)

Saveria Benedetta Palazzolo, Provenzano’s companion of thirty-seven years and the mother of his two sons. She lived with him on the run until 1992, when he sent her and the boys to live in Corleone.

Luciano Liggio, boss of the Corleonesi and Provenzano’s mentor, in court, 1987. He was a man of extreme violence and intense rages, changeable and moody as a child.

Vito Ciancimino, son of a Corleone barber, during his brief term as mayor of Palermo, 1970. Provenzano steered Ciancimino’s political career and protected him.

Right
: The aftermath of the shoot-out in viale Lazio, Palermo, on 10 December 1969. Provenzano led a group of gunmen disguised as policemen. When his gun jammed, he pistol-whipped Mafia capo Michele Cavataio (pictured) to death.

Below
: National hero General Alberto Dalla Chiesa and his young wife, Emanuela Setti Carraro, were ambushed by mafiosi with machine guns in September 1982.

Leoluca Bagarella, Totò Riina’s brother-in-law from Corleone, who took over the clan’s military leadership after Riina’s arrest in 1993. He pursued a reckless strategy of violence, jeering at Provenzano’s peaceful approach.

The aftermath of the bomb at Capaci, near Palermo, that killed anti-Mafia judge Giovanni Falcone and his wife, Francesca Morvillo, on 23 May 1992. Riina and Provenzano were both convicted of ordering the killing, which resulted in a massive crackdown on the mafia.

Giovanni Brusca, boss of San Giuseppe Iato and one of the Corleonesi’s main allies, after his arrest in June 1996. He pressed the detonator that set off the Capaci bomb. Behind him is a photograph of Giovanni Falcone with Paolo Borsellino.

Nino Giuffré, boss of Caccamo and Provenzano’s right-hand man, on his arrest in April 2002. He later became one of the most important mafia collaborators, revealing much about Provenzano’s personality, his obsession with security, his ill health and his fears for his sons.

Identikit image of Bernardo Provenzano, computer-generated from descriptions by collaborators in 2002. Police intercepted mafiosi discussing the likeness: ‘He’s got more hair... his neck’s too thin.’

Giovanni, the eldest son of Totò Riina, riding his motor bike around the Corleone cemetery on the day of Luciano Liggio’s funeral, 1994. He was eager to take his father’s place, and when he committed his first murder was said to be as ‘excited as a child’

Provenzano’s sons, Angelo and Francesco Paolo, giving their first-ever interview, to the BBC. Having been kept out of the Mafia, they are struggling to find their way in the straight world.

Above
: One of the hundreds of letters written by Provenzano, with instructions for his capos. It is full of his characteristic errors and mis-spellings. They were written on his manual typewriter, folded up small and sealed with tape.

Right
: The code Provenzano used in his letters to disguise the names of people mentioned. When anyone close to him was arrested, he would change the code in case they revealed his secrets.