The mysterious disappearance of a Swiss terrorist
Published: Thursday, Jun 6th 2024, 10:40
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Hardly anyone knows Bruno Breguet. Yet the man from Ticino was one of the most notorious Swiss terrorists. A documentary film now sets out in search of clues.
While others are enjoying a break at the age of 20 and perhaps traveling the world, Bruno Breguet is arrested - and sent to prison for seven years. The high school student from Ticino had tried to smuggle explosives to Israel for the Palestinian resistance. He gradually became radicalized and in 1995 he disappeared on a crossing between Italy and Greece. A life full of secrets and unanswered questions. Who was this man? The Swiss documentary "La scomparsa di Bruno Breguet" sets out in search of clues.
The work was realized by Ticino director Olmo Cerri. In an interview with the Keystone-SDA news agency, he said that he discovered the story in 2015 when Breguet's diaries "La scuola dell'odio" ("The School of Hate") were republished. An event was organized in Bellinzona at the time, with some of Breguet's friends and companions sitting in the audience. "It was a very intense moment," the filmmaker recalled. "I asked myself why, even though I was born and raised in Ticino, I had never heard of Bruno Breguet and his story."
After intensive work, the film is now finished. "Breguet was confronted with a cause that was bigger than himself," says Cerri. Breguet was an idealistic, dreamy personality with a strong sense of social justice. He was outraged by the hunger in the world and the violence against the Palestinians.
How far can resistance go?
Breguet has rebelled - with force. Where does Cerri position himself? "Everyone has to find the struggles that are closest to them and the paths of resistance that they consider suitable for their life and personality," said the director. These days, he is interested in the Palestine demonstrations, the fight for human rights and the demands of the climate movement. At a local level, his commitment to independent culture, self-administration and agroecology are important to him.
Breguet had deliberately accepted casualties in his actions. Where does Cerri draw the line between justified resistance and unacceptable terrorism? "I tried not to make any judgments in this film," he said. Instead, he wanted to understand what makes people decide in a certain way.
"I consider myself non-violent," said Cerri. "When you start endangering people who have nothing to do with a cause, that's where the line is crossed for me." At the same time, when looking at militant decisions, it is important to consider the historical context, he said. "The violence exercised by governments, institutions or multinational corporations must also be included in the equation."
The film spans the arc into the present. For example, climate activists are shown. Cerri said that he has great sympathy for people who are personally committed to this cause and would risk their own safety or reputation in the process. The director is convinced: "The climate catastrophe that we are facing is not being sufficiently taken into account by politics and business."
Actions of this kind would help to bring these issues back to the fore. The actions are peaceful and symbolic, and he is always surprised by the vehemence and anger with which some people react to them. "The attempt to equate civil disobedience with terrorism, as some politicians like to do, is a danger to our democracy."
Breguet's disappearance remains a mystery
Back to Bruno Breguet: there are various theories about his disappearance. He could have gone into hiding, fallen victim to an act of revenge or assumed a new identity in the USA with the help of the CIA. "A lot has been reported in the media about Breguet's collaboration with the CIA, but an analysis of the documents shows that the contacts were by and large limited," says the director. It is difficult to imagine that the CIA invested large resources to help him go underground. Cerri: "It is probably impossible to ever find the truth."
Many people who were close to Breguet would like to imagine that he is still alive and hiding somewhere. "This is a hypothesis dictated more by the heart than by reason," Cerri is convinced. After the search for clues, the director said: "I got to know a person with a complex character. Some of his decisions are difficult to understand. I have more questions than answers."
*This article by Raphael Amstutz, Keystone-SDA, was realized with the help of the Gottlieb and Hans Vogt Foundation.
©Keystone/SDA
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