Freemasonry

Italian masonic leader Licio Gelli dies aged 96

Licio Gelli was the grandmaster of a notorious masonic group, Propaganda Two (P2), which included prominent Italian politicians and military figures.

P2 was exposed in 1981 and accused of conspiring with right-wing extremists and the mafia to undermine governments.

Gelli was born in 1919 and first became involved in politics as part of the fascist movement of Benito Mussolini.

He later volunteered to fight for Gen Francisco Franco in the Spanish Civil War, and went on to join neo-fascist parties.

He joined the freemasons in the 1960s and founded the P2 lodge in 1970. A list of alleged members was later discovered by Italian police - and included one Silvio Berlusconi, the future prime minister.