Your parents, or at least your teachers, probably droned on about the importance of doing your homework, because a lack of knowledge and/or skill can negatively affect your job prospects and hopes for a successful life.

As annoying as their exhortations may have been when you were a youth, it turns out they were right: not having a clue can cost you everything — even your life, as this Italian couple found out the hard way:

The bodies of an anarchist couple were found beneath the rubble of a cottage on the outskirts of Rome after they blew themselves up while making a bomb.

Police believed Alessandro Mercogliano, 53, and 36-year-old Sara Ardizzone were plotting an attack against a police station and Leonardo, a defence contractor, which made parts for F-35 jets.

Traces of ammonium nitrate, a chemical used to make explosives, were found in the debris of the abandoned building beside an ancient Roman aqueduct on Friday.

Police said the pair were supporters of Alfredo Cospito, the jailed figurehead of a loosely organised anarchist network called the Informal Anarchist Federation.

“No! Not that wire – the other one!"

Rome ??:
two anarchists/communists with long criminal records, Alessandro Mercogliano and Sara Ardizzone, died in an accidental explosion while assembling a homemade explosive device.

Their prior convictions include participation in violent demonstrations, resistance and… pic.twitter.com/bNKbIeeIqB

— Francesco ?? (@SaP011) March 21, 2026

Their prior convictions include participation in violent demonstrations, resistance and insults to public officials, personal injuries, property damage, illegal occupations, and involvement in investigations into anarchist networks, including charges related to terrorism.

They were linked to the anarchist insurrectionary network associated with Alfredo Cospito, who is held under the 41-bis prison regime (a strict regime with near-total isolation and severely restricted communications) for shooting the CEO of the Italian company Ansaldo Nucleare in the legs and for attempting an attack on a school of young Carabinieri with a delayed-fuse homemade bomb (fortunately without victims).

Forgive me if I find it darkly humorous, but I have zero regret or compassion for people who had planned to indiscriminately kill innocent people. If they meet a nasty, self-inflicted death, I won't be reaching for the Kleenex. 

Sorry, not sorry.

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Although their demise might give me a chuckle, their goals and the psychotic, loosely organized movement they represent are anything but funny:

Otello Lupacchini, a retired judge and mafia expert, said that the incident indicated a dangerous resurgence among those opposed to the state and warned that it could lead to more violence.

“There has been an increase in the risk level,” Mr Lupacchini told The Telegraph. “It could escalate to a high-intensity level with a risk of mass-casualty attacks.”

Counter-terror police have also been concerned after threats of revenge and “war against the oppressors” were plastered on the walls of one of Rome’s metro stations at the weekend.

If you don't find this case nauseating enough on its own, take a look at how Pakistan TV, that nation's official state-owned English news and current affairs channel, framed it. We often rail against our Democrat propagandist mainstream press, but this is truly special: it was a "tragic accident" that just so happened to strike a lovely couple who were just "preparing a protest":

Tragic accident in Rome: Italian anarchists Sara Ardizzone and Alessandro Mercogliano died in a blast while reportedly preparing a protest related to jailed anarchist Alfredo Cospito.#Rome #Italy #Explosion #SecurityAlert #PakistanTV #PakistanTvglobal pic.twitter.com/egxAa3Gpfd

— Pakistan TV (@PakTVGlobal) March 21, 2026

CNN and The New York Times would be so proud. In a word: Repugnant.

As is so often with cases like these, the would-be mass murderers have their slogans — it’s all about a “war against the oppressors” — but you get the feeling that they don’t actually have any core convictions that really mean anything. They just want to kill people.

So congratulations to them. They did kill people — themselves. Arrivederci, sayonara, au revoir, toodle‑oo. You'll probably be memorialized as twisted but somehow noble heroes in a Hollywood/Netflix avant-garde film someday, but for now, you are just what you are: dead would-be killers. 

Here's a hearty grazie for saving the authorities the trouble of taking out the trash.

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