Leonardo Bertulazzi was running out of time. After decades of safe haven in Argentina, Bertulazzi, once a member of a far-left terrorist group that kidnapped and murdered a former Italian prime minister in 1978, faced imminent extradition. Back in Italy, Bertulazzi was facing a 27-year prison sentence for terrorism-related crimes, according to Argentina’s Defense Ministry. Bertulazzi, 74, was placed under house arrest. Police were stationed outside the fifth-floor apartment he shared with his wife in Buenos Aires, Argentina’s capital. He had suffered three strokes in the past two years, his attorney said, and was required to wear an ankle monitor. None of this seemed to stop Bertulazzi from planning his escape. On Tuesday, as much of the Buenos Aires police apparatus focused on Pope Leo’s visit, two police officers restrained Bertulazzi during a routine shift change, according to an official with knowledge of an investigation into Bertulazzi’s flight who was not authorized to speak publicly. But this time, when the officers rang the apartment’s doorbell, no one answered. Investigators believe Mr. Bertulazzi escaped between 6 and 8 a.m. that morning. Bertulazzi’s ankle monitor still showed he was in the apartment, the official said. A search revealed a metal box containing a bunch of wires connected to an electrical outlet, prompting officers to call an explosives disposal unit, according to the official. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you’re in Reader mode, exit and log in to your Times account or subscribe to all of The Times. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. Already a subscriber? Sign in. Do you want all of The Times? Subscribe.
