The battle of mother Annarita: “I want the truth about my son David”

“Today is my son’s birthday. But my son David has been gone for ten, long, years. He came back from Afghanistan in a coffin. And I owe him truth and justice. The court cannot close the investigation. . There are still many, too many, things to clarify about his death. And I am not saying this because I am the mother, but because justice is done to corporal David Tobini, who died for his homeland on 25 July 2011 “. Annarita Lo Mastro is a tried but lively-eyed woman. For ten years he has been asking for justice for his son, a parà della Folgore, who died in Afghanista during a peace mission. The Rome Public Prosecutor’s Office, which investigates the death of the young soldier, last September asked for the case to be closed because “from the further investigations carried out there are no elements that can unambiguously allow a reconstruction of the fact that led to the death by David Tobini “. The mother of the parà opposes the archiving, with the help of her lawyer, the lawyer Paolo Pirani, and now the decision of the investigating magistrate is awaited. “The case cannot be dismissed – explains Annarita Lo Mastro in an interview with Adnkronos – Because there are several reports, such as the one made by the ballistic expert Paride Minervini, a former Folgore officer, which clearly shows that David was hit from behind, as confirmed by the bullet hole on the helmet, never x-rayed “. An appraisal made with compatible ammunition and weapons, is the only ballistic that has the authorization of the defense ministry. “The first file on the case was closed after a few months.” The report of the Ris was missing – says Annarita Lo Mastro today – the same report in 2012 says that the bullet is posterior with an inclination from the bottom to the top, while the report of 2020 always by Ris says that the shot is anterior, i.e. frontal. Yet the prosecutor asks for archiving. “‘Who was next to him that day never spoke to me, why?’ In ten years there have been many unspoken mysteries. Like that of the missing letter. A letter written by the young man parà to the mother but which was never delivered to her, although it is among the personal effects that were then returned to the woman. “When they gave me my son’s personal effects – he says – I did not open the box immediately, it had been a short time. I open it after two days and there is the report. It immediately catches my eye that a personal letter is quoted. That wasn’t there. Who didn’t know, who had no idea. What was written in that letter? “.” I don’t know what my son wrote that was so annoying – continues David’s mother – above all I wonder, if there was even a drawing, how dare they touch something personal? “. And again: Who was next to David, on the day he died, in that hole just 40 cm deep and 1.50 wide,” he never spoke to me, “says his mother.” also encouraged, but he escaped me and dodged me, with an arrogant attitude. Why? “. Could he have been killed by friendly fire, David? His mother is convinced.” Well, I wonder if friendly fire is covered, why was it hidden? Today, with the disappearance of the letter, I think of much more. It seems to me a cowardly act. I do not know the words of my son and I will live the end of my days with this question that continues to haunt me “.” I have tried in every way to know the truth – he says – I have knocked on all doors, who has not closed them. he only made fun of … “. He also takes it out on some TV programs that” did not have the courage “. ‘If I do not have justice, I will return the silver medal’ In the past he also met the former Minister of Defense Elisabetta Trenta . “We were talking about the incongruity of the honor given to my son, a silver medal for military valor. Not gold. Of silver. “Why silver?” Hit by intense hostile fire, he reacted with the supplied weapon, exposing himself several times, regardless of his own safety, in order to guarantee the safety of his fellow soldiers. During the umpteenth attempt to eradicate the treacherous opponent’s action he was fatally hit. Shining example of a graduate paratrooper who sacrificed his life to the highest military principles “. Here is what we read in the motivations in 2013.” But I was not lucid. “” Why did my son not deserve the gold medal? Why strike at his dignity even when he is dead? “. And he announces:” If I do not have truth and justice, I am ready to hand over the medal. “” I just want the person who slandered my son to come out – says Annarita Lo Mastro – after having done a great deal of damage. Because whoever lends himself to all this is not worthy to wear a uniform, today it was my son’s turn and tomorrow who? “. He wonders every night what happened that morning of July 25 ten years ago in Afghanistan.” I have I had the appraisals done because they told me: ‘Your son made a gesture that is not allowed militarily’ but since I feel like an objective mother, I said to myself: ‘If he made a mistake, it must be ascertained. At that point I presented myself to the three experts and said: I want the truth. Because if my son makes an unusual gesture, a move that is not allowed and that has led him to expose himself, I stop. But since three out of three experts tell me that the shot is not compatible with the declaration made, and they tell me it is a machine gun and that he could not lie down, why should he expose himself? Between the two, one did his duty and the other shirked. Above all, I want the uniform to be removed from those who are capable of slandering their fellow soldier. Because I think that blaming those who cannot defend themselves and cannot speak is a cowardly gesture. “What does Annarita Lo Mastro expect from the investigating judge?” To date I am worried. It would be important to make other investigations, Minervini made them. Why, for example, do they not allow you to make an X-ray of that helmet? “. Another important thing:” My son was left-handed, and during the tests, the appraisals and studies this fact was taken into account but many things do not add up ” Then, he lowers his eyes, raises them and with a firm voice he says: “I will not stop even if the investigating judge were to close the investigation”. “I will invent something”. (By Elvira Terranova)