Roberto Saviano: Anti-Mafia journalist calls on left-wing politician Elif Eralp to name names

Based on these experiences, Saviano advocates naming names. »Over the past 20 years I have learned that not mentioning a name does not protect you. It actually makes you vulnerable,” says Saviano. "The only protection is a name spoken loudly, with the state at your side."

By concealing threats and fears, he also derives consequences for Eralp's possible actions as the future governing mayor of Berlin. »Anyone who threatens you wants you to keep your mouth shut. Once he has secured your silence, he knows he can do it again,” writes Saviano.

“From then on, your political actions are subject to blackmail.”

"From then on, your political actions are open to blackmail, not by a clan or a dubious party colleague, but by your fear." And further: "A prospective mayor who cannot give a name leaves the power over the urban discourse to its owner."

Eralp accidentally revealed her fear of terror sympathizers last week in internal notes to a SPIEGEL interview. SPIEGEL decided to make the incident public.

The comment was about a question about the pro-Palestinian activist and terror sympathizer Ibrahim Ibrahim, who appeared at a Neukölln Left Party election party after the House of Representatives election.

Eralp did not want to give his name when authorizing the interview; her spokesman later pointed out that the security authorities had advised Eralp not to pin political problems on individual people in public statements.

Saviano speaks out against this approach with regard to Ibrahim. “If you believe he is innocent, defend him openly and hold accountable those who publicly denounce him. If not, then say you don’t want anything to do with him.”

Other members of the left must behave similarly stringently, says Saviano. He was obviously referring to the left-wing Bundestag member Ferat Koçak, who was photographed with Ibrahim at the Neukölln election party and also maintained contacts with members of the Rammo clan.

"A party member cannot always know who he is dealing with, but once he does, it should be clear what he has to do and who he has to inform about it," writes Saviano. Anyone who still wants to hold on to their acquaintances has to leave. "The chat messages between Rammo's son and your representative did not call for an apology, but for an official procedure."