Italian papers defy order by guerrillas on judge

Time was running out for a kidnapped Rome magistrate after Italian newspapers refused to bow to his red Brigade captors' ultimatum. Italy's most feared guerrilla gang gave Giovanni D'Urso, a senior Justice Ministry official, 48 hours to live unless the major news media published documents written by jailed guerrillas.

Despite an impassioned new appeal from the magistrate's wife, only one newspaper -- the Socialist Party journal Avanti -- said it would print the statements. Five others said they would respect a government request not to bow to terrorists' demands, even if it meant the life of Mr. D'Urso.

The latest ultimatum by the terrorists followed a bitter parliamentary debate over the Red Brigades that nearly caused the collapse of Premier Arnaldo Forlani's government.