Austerity in Italy: Terrorising the taxman ITALIANS" reactions to four stringent austerity packages have so far been fairly muted. Rome saw a violent protest last October, but it seemed to be directed at a range of targets, from the then government of Silvio Berlusconi to capitalism in general. In recent weeks, however, there have been at least eight acts of terrorist violence or intimidation aimed at the authorities" efforts to tighten Italy's public finances. The target is the tax-collection service, Equitalia. On December 9th the agency's director-general, Marco Cuccagna, suffered hand and face injuries when a parcel bomb exploded at his office in Rome. The following week another parcel bomb was intercepted at Equitalia's headquarters. Police have blamed a shadowy organisation called the Informal Anarchist Federation (FAI), which has claimed responsibility for several low-intensity terrorist campaigns since 2003. The FAI has been variously described as a terrorist franchising operation and an umbrella structure for more than a dozen equally spectral anarchist organisations. But none of its members has ever been caught, and some security officials doubt whether it exists as anything more than a set of initials for use by the angry and violently inclined. Moreover, subsequent operations against Equitalia have involved tactics not previously associated with the FAI. Between December 20th and 22nd letters containing (harmless) white powder were delivered to the agency's offices in Rome and Milan, and to the office of the new prime minister, Mario Monti. Since then three rudimentary bombs have exploded outside Equitalia branches, and the agency's director in Turin has received a letter containing bullets, an intimidatory device beloved of Mafiosi. But then Equitalia is hated by more than just rogue anarchists. The agency was formed in 2006 to take over tax-collection operations that had previously been carried out reluctantly by banks and their subsidiaries. It has since brought about a silent revolution. With the help of streamlined judicial procedures it has proved itself more efficient at winkling euros out of Italian pockets. But, like tax-collection bodies elsewhere, it has also been accused of unreasonable or even inhumane behaviour. This week Beppe Grillo, a famous comedian and blogger, said that Equitalia's demands for payment had become "the terror of every Italian." He called for a denunciation of the terrorist campaign but also for an understanding of the motives behind it. Politicians condemned his appeal. But in several cases their remarks were qualified with proposals for a rethink of Equitalia's powers and methods. Until Italy starts reducing its debt, equivalent to 120% of GDP, that is unlikely to be a priority for Mr Monti's government, or any other.