Rai has suspended the summer repeats of *Report* as a precautionary measure. Ranucci: “Bewilderment and concern”

“Pending full clarification of the sensitive and complex matter involving the presenter Sigfrido Ranucci”, Rai’s Current Affairs Department “has deemed it appropriate to suspend, as a precautionary measure, the broadcast of the summer repeats of the television programme Report, in order to safeguard editorial content of great value to the public service”. The broadcaster announced this in a statement. “The new season of *Report* is still scheduled to go ahead and will return to the airwaves from next November,” the statement concludes.

“I am dismayed and concerned for the media as a whole to learn that Rai has decided to use the pretext of the shameful and absurd speculations that have been circulated in recent hours through certain political statements and journalistic accounts, to suspend the summer repeats of previously broadcast investigative episodes of *Report*,” comments Sigfrido Ranucci in a statement issued by his solicitor, Roberto De Vita. “This suspension,” he adds, “is justified on grounds that assert exactly the opposite: this is not the protection of the ‘highly valuable editorial heritage for the public service’ and of the programme, but rather the delegitimisation not only of myself but also of all the work carried out by individual journalists who, autonomously and independently, have produced important investigations and who represent a true heritage for journalism and democracy”.

Meanwhile, the home of Gomes Clesio Tavares, Valter Lavitola’s right-hand man and believed to be the intermediary with the gang that planted the bomb outside the home of the presenter of *Report*. Investigators travelled to a town in the Naples area to carry out preliminary investigations, where the man – who is now believed to be in Cameroon – lives with his partner. The woman was interviewed by the Carabinieri as a person with knowledge of the facts. Meanwhile, Lavitola, believed to be the mastermind behind the attack, was preparing to leave Italia for Africa. The suspect had already purchased his flight ticket and, according to reports, the search – on the evening of 4 July – was carried out after investigators saw him leaving the house with a wheeled suitcase.

On 6 July, the Carabinieri searched the home and offices of Walter Lavitola, who is listed in the register of suspects on the charge of being the possible mastermind behind the bomb attack on 16 October 2025 against the presenter of *Report*, Sigfrido Ranucci, which took place outside his home in Pomezia.

On 8 July, the Carabinieri searched Lavitola’s home, seizing mobile phones, computers and seven manuscripts. During questioning, Lavitola denied all charges and subsequently exercised his right to remain silent.