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Journalism of Courage
Mafia mobsters are using social networking site Facebook to attract wannabe gangsters. Sicilian gangsters are targeting members who have joined online groups dedicated to Cosa-Nostras godfathers. An 18-year-old Italian,who posted messages of support for caged boss of bosses Bernardo Provenzano is one of such fans. I joined a group dedicated to Provenzano, the Daily Star quoted Sicilian-born youth Alessandro as saying. Then I got a message from a man asking me to meet him in Sicily. He said his clan wanted young people to collect -protection money from businesses in Palermo. He said he was well-connected and Id be looked after. He said his people were only recruiting Sicilians because of blood ties and were using facebook fan pages as part of their drive. I didnt take up the offer but I have friends who are involved and it is a very dangerous business. I took my profile down. You cannot mess with these people, the youth added.
Some 165 Facebookers have joined his fan page. Anti-mafia activists have called for the pages to be banned,but Facebook has refused to pull them.
