The attack took place in Brindisi,
Apulia, on the morning of Saturday, 19 May 2012, when at 7:45 a.m. local time three
gas cylinder bombs detonated inside a rubbish bin close to the entrance gate in front of the Morvillo Falcone high school as students were arriving and milling outside. A bus had just unloaded more students. The cylinders, which were tied together, exploded beside 16-year-old fashion student Melissa Bassi, who took the full force of the powerful blast wave and suffered "horrific injuries", which included burns on 90 percent of her body and the loss of an arm. She died shortly afterwards in hospital. Another sixteen-year-old student, Veronica Capodieci, was seriously wounded with grave chest and abdominal injuries. Italian Prime Minister
Mario Monti, who was out of the country at the time attending a
G8 summit held in
Camp David, condemned the attack as "cowardly" and "without precedent".
Aftermath On Monday, 21 May 2012, victim Melissa Bassi was given a state funeral. It was held at the 17th-century church the Chiesa Madre di Mesagne in
Mesagne, the
comune where she lived. It was broadcast live on
Raidue. Leading politicians, government ministers, and local dignitaries were in attendance, including Prime Minister Monti and President of the
Italian Chamber of Deputies,
Gianfranco Fini. == Mafia connection ==