Why Did The American Mafia Ban Explosives? Well, Why Was Youngstown, Ohio Dubbed "Crimetown USA"?
Of the many Mafia rules publicized over the years, one of the more interesting ones is the well-known ban on the use of explosives. Y ou can strangle, stab, shoot, drown, poison, ice-pick him ... just don't blow him up... Sam the Plumber's wiretaps are the origins of countless mob revelations. This is one thing about which the American and Sicilian Mafias disagree entirely. Throughout their history, Sicilian gangsters have shown a preference for bombs, using them precisely for the "dramatic mileage" they afford. In fact, bombs are so common over there, they reportedly are sometimes used to cover up the real cause of death. Why the American Mafia would take such a collective step against explosives isn't difficult to imagine. By moving to ban bombs, unlike their Sicilian cohorts, American Cosa Nostra members and affiliates reduced the risk of collateral damage. And with post-9/11 hindsight, it was a brilliant tactical move that gave the organizati