[Errigal]

Anyone interested in the possible links between Italian politics and the American neoconservative project would find the career of Michael Ledeen worth investigating.

Ledeen has been accused of associations with shady organizations. For example, Jim Lobe has stated that "Ledeen's right-wing Italian connections — including alleged ties to the P2 masonic lodge that rocked Italy in the early 1980s — have long been a source of speculation and intrigue, but he returned to Washington in 1981 as 'anti-terrorism' advisor to the new secretary of state, Al Haig."[5] While he acknowledges being paid by the SISMI in 1980 for "risk assessment",[1] Ledeen denies any connections with Licio Gelli's masonic lodge. Ledeen told Vanity Fair that he had been paid $10,000 by the SISMI in 1979 or 1980 for advising them on extradition matters between Italy and the US.[6] He denied having worked with [Francesco] Pazienza or Propaganda Due as part of a disinformation scheme. "I knew Pazienza," he explained. "I didn't think P-2 existed. I thought it was all nonsense — typical Italian fantasy."[6] Pazienza, while at SISMI, did help Ledeen obtaining a tape confirming information on "Billygate."[7]

Michael Ledeen - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia