Remnants of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, in the form of his brain and blood, were to be offered up to the highest bidder on eBay, the Times of London reported.
Alessandra Mussolini, the far-right Italian politician and granddaughter of the Fascist dictator, told Italian police that the preserved remains of the body were stolen from a hospital in Milan where Mussolini's autopsy was conducted. The Italian leader, once known as "il Duce," was killed at the end of World War II.
"I was advised this morning that pieces of my grandfather's brain and some of his blood were being sold on eBay for 15,000 euros," Mussolini was quoted by the Telegraph. "This is very serious, these are the kinds of things we have to guard against."
The items were initially offered on the site for $22,290, but eBay released a statement saying that the auction had been withdrawn shortly after it appeared. eBay said the offer violated its rules which forbid the sale of "any human organic material."
The sale was cancelled before an offer was made.
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