Gladio and the Occult

Although it referred to specifically the Italian branch, the name Gladio was applied to a network of fascist terrorist groups employed by the CIA and NATO. Known as “stay-behind” units, their purported purpose was to resist a Soviet invasion from within. Instead, they were mainly employed in carrying out violent acts of terrorism, known in Italy as the “Strategy of Tension,” which were falsely blamed on communist groups to undermine the influence of the Left in various parts of Europe.