Italian Army General Roberto Vannacci has been suspended from duty for 11 months following the publication of his controversial bestselling book “Il Mondo al Contrario” (The World Back To Front).
In his book, Vannacci, among other things, says gays are not normal. A defence ministry disciplinary procedure has subsequently suspended the General for 11 months, sources said on Wednesday.
In the book Vannacci also espouses the Great Replacement conspiracy theory about mainly Muslim migrants replacing ethnic Italians. He says only white people can be Italian, and lauds ‘stand your ground’ self-defence laws.
On Monday, judicial sources said that Vannacci has been placed under investigation by Rome prosecutors on suspicion of instigating hate over the book after a number of associations complained about its content.
On Saturday, it emerged that the 55-year-old former paratrooper commander, has also been placed under investigation by the defence chiefs of staff for suspected fraud and embezzlement during his time as military attaché at the Italian embassy in Moscow.
The right-wing League party of Deputy Premier and Transport Minister Matteo Salvini, which wants Vannacci to stand for them in the June European Parliament elections, has said the “investigations are medals” for the general, arguing he is the victim of “clockwork justice”.
