While I have to believe that this will die through appeals, the long-term implications are enormous. As nxswolf points out, it not only will scare off future s

While I have to believe that this will die through appeals, the long-term implications are enormous. As nxswolf points out, it not only will scare off future scientists interested in working in Italy, but any official/expert tasked with preventing tragedies. The fallout is that, with each possibility, worst-case scenarios will be the norm to avoid culpability over reasoned approach. Not to say that worst-case should not be considered, but dialling up to 11 is never an appropriate public response. Finally, today it is seismologists, tomorrow it could easily be network security folks, application engineers, CTO/CSO's etc. Basically, any situation where the sum-total parts are so large and multi-faceted that no one person/agency could be seen as the expert. Terrible tragedy, terrible fallout. The optimist in me hopes that this is dropped at the next appeal.