Altan what does Ethnic orgion have to do with it? Get a life seriously.

a, london, England

"The men, thought to be from Calabria in southern Italy" and "German police found the six italians" is pretty clear towards their ethnicity Altan. Reading comprehension is a lost art these days I guess.

Ronald, Paris, France

If mafia men were not devout Roman Catholic men, perhaps we would be justified in blaming the catholic church "teachings" for such "misconduct". However, being a religion of the "blameless" apparantly that would be politically incorrect, and a seriious crime of "discrimation". not withstanding a cry of "persecution".
They do indeed have a way of presenting criminals as "saints" and saints as sinners.

terry Lenick, Mt. Prospect Illinois, USA

May I suggest that all foreigners leave the countries they are not from because it is obvious that most of them do not behave properly. If they leave, crime will be reduced to petty crime. Locals ain't killers! As some very few domestic criminals might be involved in some sort of activities, trade between countries must be stopped, so that crime does not float around in form of trade/money. Close all borders! May those mad mafioso be swept back across the alps to where they belong, return a Milano, tutti! with all them other thiefs! may they all be put away so that it's nations of one's again. Wait: laws are already being changed so we'll get there pretty soon. And Germany will be a safe place again, like in 19.., - wait, this reminds me about the fact that execution style assassinations are not the Bella Italia way of doing things - its rather German behavior of dealing with bulks of civilians - just like the ones that were murdered in Duisburg - and those were obviously not wanted.

Walther, Basel, Switzerland

Mostly likely there will be More Killings from this event. Its Hard to Believe that no one Wittnessed this. All that Gun Fire. there Has to Be Someone That seen this And Are Keeing quite about it in Fear Of Geting killed themselves. Maybe they Will come forward in the future. Maybe this Was A Hate Crime Against Italians From the Germans, Who knows.

Ray, Belmar, U.S.A NewJersey

They are all Italiens between 16 and 39 years of age.

Mike, Mettmann, Germany

Why does the ethnic origin have anything to do with this story??

robert taylor, Poulton le Fylde, England

Dear "Sweet Neil of Birmingham". The REASON ETHNIC ORIGIN has to be brought into the "Mix", is because Mafia type people are of Italian Sicilian Orilgin, PERIOD! That's way, and because some things in life are what they are, in spite of people like yourself wishing everything were PC.

It isn't, get over it, and GET REAL!

If you want further proof of what I say, just take out a couple of American Movies called "The Godfather and/or Good Fellas", and then try tell me about "Neutral Ethnic Origin".

Ahhhh!

jim johnson, framingham, ma.

It's a thing of honour. Something you will never understand.

LCN, London,

Italian mafia is a worldwide danger. It is strictly necessary to closely control italian people when they transfer abroad: it is the only way to limit the broadening of mafia crime.
Of course the same applies to people of other nations well known for their criminality, like albanians, russians, rumanians... (but also french people coming from Marseille and so on)

Massimo, Milan, Italy

"Does it really matter what ethnic origin they are from...". The most wicked part of any stereotype is that it must contain a grain of truth to survive. We are not all alike. We are all different. A generalized British outlook on life and the world is different from an italian, or an American outlook. There are differences between cultures and the general values within those cultures. It is unfair to lump absolutely everyone into a convenient stereotype. But as long as incidents, such as this one in Duisburg, continue to happen, then the stereotype is just reinforced in many people's minds.

William, Aurora, CO/ USA

What do you mean by "ethnic"? If it helps, people shot and killers were all Calabreses.

Frank, Florence,

Where were the parents in all this? Shame...

Steve, Minneapolis , Minnesota / USA

Altan Houssein: read the article. They were Italians from Calabria.

John, Kent,

Mafia group murders (by Sicilian and others) had happen in the USA during the Last Century, so this is not the first time outside Southern Italy. But yes I think it's becoming an EU problem because Italy has not been able to face it until now.
But why Calabrians are still going to Germany to find a work? And why Mafia is still prevailing in Calabria?
Why don't they stay and contribute their Region to grow? While in Germany and Swiss, some of them look like caricatures and a sort of no land's men and women. Maybe it's easier to go than stay, but please stay and contribute, keep the example of other european ex-disadvantage Regions... Calabria Region, the poorest Region in Italy, is rich of art, culture and history. Sicily is getting better, because Sicilian are now investing in their Region and tourism industry.
Anyway, Mafia word and habits were introduced by Spanish when they were ruling these southern Regions.

Laura, Milano, Italy

why is only the ethnic origin helpful? why stop there - what about religious ascription, sexual orientation and colour of underpants they were wearing. ethnicity is not the only demarker of identity and is not in anyway essential

andy , manchester,

Neil, if they were from Mongolia, the newspapers would have reported they are from Mongolia. Since they are from Italy and not from Mongolia, the newspapers reported that they are from Italy.

Reuel Tidhar, Boston, MA

Altan, I believe it says that the victims were Italian hence the mention of mafia etc. Reading the article would be a great help to you.

There ethnicity within their Italian natonality can't really be that important can it?

chris , gibraltar,

Italian perhaps??!!

Rupert Darlison, London, London

The latest News in German TV is that the victims are origin from Calabria and that it may have been Vendetta.

Sebastian Heling, Cologne, Germany

R u serious?

"German police found the six Italians, who had all been shot in the head, in the early hours of this morning."

LOL, oh i get it,... you where being sarcastic.

John, NYC, USA

The latest News in German Tv is that they are origin from Calabria and that it may have been Vendetta.

Sebastian Heling, Cologne, Germany

Errrr...... they were Italian....

lets get Columbo out of retirement

capgem, London,

>Does it really matter what ethnic origin they are from - they are Italians? Why does race/ethnicity need to be brought into every news story?
Neil, Birmingham

I think you're being over-sensitive. the origin of these men matters, as it turns out they were mafiosa - a pretty telling hint to their country of origin.

If the "hit" had nothing to do with mafia, then yes, it may have been acceptable to say just "6 men killed" - but that would still be unacceptable as far as i am concerned as i like to know the facts - such as had it been drug related, were they from Columbia, Netherlands, UK or spain - all have drug problems to a degree, so that would have been relevant

thsi is not a race/ethnicity issue - it is an issue of you jumping like a rabid over-liberal reader!!

Howard, London, UK

Mafia is interntional, actually global. After the horrendous murders of judges Borsellino and Della Chiesa, in the early eighties, nothing and, I mean nothing, will surprise me about orgainsed crime.
Gabriella La Rocca, London and Italy

Gabriella , London , UK

With names like Sebastiano Strangio, Tommaso Venturi & Francesco Pergola my guess would be that they're Italians.

What's your point?

Roo, London,

As accurately pointed out in the article it's very strange indeed to see a mafia feud spill over into another European country. Germany is the peaceful sort of place you go to get away from the pepperoncino mob and their pea-shooters, not to see it first hand. Mamma mia!

RB, Milan, Italy

Doesn't it ultimately make a difference to say that six Calabrians were murdered in a small German city as opposed to six Germans being killed? To an investigator, this is a critical fact - making its inclusion in the story appropriate.

Kitty, Cleveland, Ohio

I think they were Italian, Altan.

James, Harmiston, UK

The six dead men were members of an italian criminal organization ( called 'ndrangheta, which was born in Calabria).
This organization has enormously spread in Europe, especially in Germany, but the kills were part of a war between "families": one of the dead was suspected of a murder of another criminal of 'ndrangheta...
This sounds strange because it never happened before that such "battles" were fought outside italian borders...

Luca Mazzone, Catania, Italy

They was italians, from Calabria, a region in southern Italy.

Danilo, Rome, Italy

It's directly out of Hollywood! Just shocking that people can be this way and still call themselves human beings.

The Mafia has changed with the times, now their Europe wide! Just goes to show that its now not just an Italian problem but a problem of the whole EU.

Peter Stiles, Leeds, UK

Altan, surely a balanced view would be obtained by having no information which could subconsciously or consciously prejudice a reader?

Charlie, London, England

If you lie with dogs, you are gonna get fleas.

A perfect example of what happens when you try to take short cuts and are unethical in your behavior - it catches up with you.

I do not feel bad that members of the mob got whacked by rival mob members. These people threaten innocent, hard working people and extort money, products or illegal activity as a form of a job and lifestyle. Personally, I would like to see them all extinguish one another until there is nothing left.

God prevails, in life or death, God prevails.

For those who read this who act unethical and immoral, get a life, try adding positively to the society you live in instead of detracting from it.

Kerry, Hollywood , Florida

Altan - if they were involved in a MAFIA (Italian gang) feud in Calabria, they were Italian (Calabrian). Did you not read the article? Or even the title?

I suppose you "want" them to be from an ethnic minority so you can say they've been racially discriminated against? It may surprise you to find out that not all Europeans are racist, just because they're white. And clearly, ethnic minorities aren't free from racism either, if people like you are constantly looking for any opportunity to accuse and vilify Caucasian people. The mafia have been shooting each other for generations. Key words: EACH OTHER.

Get off your soapbox, or at least go comment on articles about Iraq where your comments *might* be relevant.

Emily, Cambridge, UK

five were found dead and a fifth died in hospital, hmmm

john o'donnell, frankfurt, germany

Does it really matter what ethnic origin they are from - they are Italians? Why does race/ethnicity need to be brought into every news story?

Neil, Birmingham, England

This terrible assassination happened only 15kms away from my home and I can not understand, how cold and hardened a human being can be?

Sven, Moers, Germany

It sounds like 'cosa nostra' ...

david, brussels, belgium

Altan, what do you wan the answer to be? Read the story, it was dark at 2:30 in the morning and there was one witness who say two men running away!

Tom Sykes, Hudderfield, England

Any chance of information of the ethnic origin of the victims which may help a more balanced view from readers?

Altan Houssein, London, England

Six men killed with bullet through the head? That's one pretty amazing bullet!

Lydia Daniels, Windsor,

"Five of the victims, whose ages are between 20 and 30 years old, were found dead, while a fifth died later in hospital"

Interesting, but impossible.

Cat, Glasgow,