Italy police shield Mafia author

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A leading Italian author is to get police protection after receiving death threats from a Mafia-like criminal organisation, a newspaper says.

Roberto Saviano, who writes for the newspaper, L'Espresso, has been investigating the Neapolitan criminal organisation known as the Camorra.

Mr Saviano had received anonymous letters and phone calls since writing a book about criminal feuds in Naples.

Mr Saviano won this year's Viareggio prize for his book Gomorra.

The title is a pun equating the Camorra with the sinful Biblical city, and chronicles the group's bloody turf war.

Mr Saviano said the book had changed his life, and not always for the good.

"On one side, this book has reached many people and, as a writer I feel I have had some unprecedented privileges," he told Italian television.

"On the other hand, there is a feeling of great loneliness and irritation."

Italian police say they have "decapitated" the gangs and are winning the fight against organised crime.