Explosion in Rome’s Aqueduct Park Claims Two Lives: Anarchists Identified
Rome, March 21, 2026 – An explosion at an abandoned farmhouse in Rome’s Aqueduct Park on Thursday evening, March 20, 2026, has resulted in the deaths of two individuals, later identified as Alessandro Mercogliano, 53, and Sara Ardizzone. Initial reports suggested the victims might have been homeless, but a subsequent investigation revealed their identities as anarchists, believed to have been constructing an explosive device at the time of the blast.
The incident unfolded at the ‘Casale del Sellaretto’ farmhouse, located at 221 Via delle Capannelle. Firefighters, responding to an alarm raised by a runner on Friday morning, discovered the bodies amidst the rubble. One victim, a male, showed signs of severe burns and a traumatic arm amputation, while the female victim sustained injuries consistent with the building’s collapse.
Investigation Points to Bomb-Making
The nature of the male victim’s injuries, particularly the arm amputation, quickly led investigators to suspect he was handling an explosive. This hypothesis was further strengthened by the identification of the victims as members of the ‘Cospito group,’ an anarchist faction. Authorities are now investigating the possibility that Mercogliano and Ardizzone were preparing a bomb for a potential attack, though the target and nature of the planned action remain unknown.
Alessandro Mercogliano had a history of involvement in terrorist-related activities in Turin. Sara Ardizzone had publicly declared her anarchist beliefs, notably during a preliminary hearing for the ‘Sibilla’ proceeding in Perugia on January 15, 2026. She stated, “I am an anarchist. As an anarchist, I am an enemy of this State, as of any other State, from the moment that it, in its essence, presupposes the exercise of military and economic power of some men and women over other people and the planet in general. I am an enemy of every form of government with which it equips itself, since the choice between democracy and dictatorship is only the most functional one to maintain control over the population, or to be more precise: over the oppressed class.”
Eyewitness Accounts and Government Reactions
Witnesses reported hearing a loud explosion in the vicinity of the farmhouse on Thursday evening, but no immediate action was taken. The alarm was finally raised on Friday morning by a runner who discovered the first body. Police and Carabinieri, along with the public prosecutor and DIGOS (Italy’s anti-terrorism police), quickly secured the area, which is privately owned by the Gaetani d’Aragona family.
The farmhouse, dating back to Pope Pius IX, originally served as a railway house on the Rome-Frascati line. It was disused before the explosion, though a shepherd and his family had reportedly lived in an adjacent building until recently.
The incident has drawn strong reactions from the Italian government. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani stated on Tg4, “There is a climate of tension that anarchists and elements of the extreme left want to continue to create in our country,” urging vigilance. Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara added, “If the investigative hypotheses are confirmed, we would be facing an extremely serious fact, which demonstrates the danger of anarchist circles. Too often there has been an attitude of underestimation, if not justification, towards them.”
Investigators are currently examining objects recovered from the rubble to gather further evidence. The police have also secured the site and are continuing their investigation into the exact cause of the explosion and the intended use of the explosive device.
