Italy's anti-gay general RobertoVannacci has been placed under investigation by Rome prosecutorson suspicion of instigating hate in his bestselling book TheWorld Back To Front in which he says gays are not normal, judicial sources said Monday.
The probe was opened after a number of associations complained about the content of the book, which has become a runaway surprise bestseller in Italy for its comments against gays, feminists, Jews, migrants and other minorities.
News of the probe comes after Saturday's news that Vannacci, 55, a former paratrooper commander, has also been placed under investigation by the defense chiefs of staff for suspected fraud and embezzlement during his time as military attaché at the Italian embassy in Moscow.
The rightwing League party of Deputy Premier Matteo Salvini, who wants Vannacci to stand for them in the June European Parliament elections, said Saturday the defense probe intoallegedly bogus allowances and payments for parties and other events that did not in fact take place, among other alleged offences, was another example of "clockwork justice".
As well as saying gays aren't normal, Vannacci also espouses in his book the Great Replacement conspiracy theory about mainly Muslim migrants replacing ethnic Italians.
He also says only white people can be Italian, and lauds standyour ground self-defense laws.
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