Italy: Premier claims in 'sex tapes' ancient tombs under his villa

Sardinia, 24 July (AKI) - Italy's National Archaeologists Association is said to be surprised by claims made by Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi in secret 'sex tape' recordings saying that 30 Phoenician tombs dating back to 300 BC were found in his villa in Sardinia.

If the claims are true, it would mean "extremely significant data for the study of the Phoenician expansion in the island, and particularly for the reconstruction of ancient settlement dynamics in the area of Olbia," said the National Association of Archaeologists, quoted by left-leaning Italian daily La Repubblica.

Under Italian law, discoveries must be reported to archaeological authorities. However, the alleged finds had not been made public until the tapes were released by Berlusconi's 42-year-old female escort Patrizia D'Addario.

Not having reported such findings to the Superintendence of Archaeological Heritage or police in charge of the preserving Italy's cultural heritage is a crime punishable by up to one year in jail and a fine ranging from 310 to 3,099 euros.

Italy's opposition has asked Berlusconi and Italy's minister of cultural heritage Sandro Bondi to address the Italian parliament on the alleged finds and why they were not reported.

However, it is also possible that Berlusconi had invented the story, exaggerated or was confused, said Repubblica.

La Repubblica and its sister weekly L'Espresso this week published on their websites a series of audio recordings and transcripts allegedly containing conversations between Berlusconi and D'Addario and between D'Addario and Gianpaolo Tarantini, the man who allegedly hired her to go Berlusconi's official residence in Rome last October and November.

D'Addario alleges she slept with Berlusconi on the night of 4-5 November last year. She has handed audio recordings and photos to magistrates which she says secretly took at Palazzo Grazioli and which back up her claims.

La Repubblica and L'Espresso have posted several of the audio tapes and transcripts to their websites.

In one of the latest clips posted on Thursday, D'Addario is heard apparently praising the 72-year-old for his sexual prowess while he in turn gives her advice on her sex life, advising her to masturbate "with a certain regularity".

Berlusconi's lawyer, Niccolo Ghedini has disputed the veracity of the tapes, saying they were "without any merit, completely improbable and the fruit of invention."

Berlusconi on Wednesday tried to make light of the controversy surrounding his private life, acknowledging that he was "no saint". But he vowed to govern until the end of his mandate in 2013.

source: AKI