Key statistics

1976
First Recorded Activity

First Attack

Profile Last Updated

How to Cite

Crenshaw, M., & Robinson, K. (2025). Mapping Militants Project. Rice University. https://doi.org/10.25613/G0K4-WF70
Mapping Militants Project. “Communist Brigades.” Last modified . https://mappingmilitants.org/node/359/

Profile Contents

Narrative

Narrative of the Organization's History

Organization

Leadership, Name Changes, Size Estimates, Resources, Geographic Locations

Strategy

Ideology, Aims, Political Activities, Targets, and Tactics

Interactions

Foreign Designations and Listings, Community Relations, Relations with Other Groups, State Sponsors and External Influences

Maps

Mapping relationships with other militant groups over time in regional maps

Main Tabs Group

Overview
Formed: 
January 1, 1976
Disbanded: 
January 1, 1979

The Communist Brigades (BC) were a left-wing terrorist group with nearly a hundred members active in Northern Italy. Like many other left-wing terrorist groups, it grew from legal left-wing groups. It was not so much a strict organization as a name used by militants to claim attacks. Its members embraced a variety of not necessarily connected goals, including fighting against heroin trafficking and stopping illegal work. The BC also attacked targets including law enforcement, prisons, business executives, and the center-right political party, the Christian Democrats. The group split up over members' differing opinions on how to organize the armed struggle. Some members formed the more-organized Communist Combat Formations beginning in 1977; others joined Prima Linea or other left-wing groups.

Organization

Vertical Tabs

Strategy

Vertical Tabs

Interactions

Vertical Tabs