text: Italians hold HIV-pensioner for harassing hookers . GENOA , Italy 1996-08-29 Italian police said on Thursday they had arrested a 61-year-old man after he fired blank shots at prostitutes he blamed for spreading AIDS . The pensioner , named only as Pietro T. , told investigators he was infected with HIV , the AIDS virus , and his wife had died of the disease . He did not say how they had contracted the illness . Police said the man had recently been spotted cruising red-light areas in this northern Italian city , hurling abuse at prostitutes and firing blank shots at them . Police said they found in his apartment two fake guns and a pistol that would only fire blanks . " Although fake guns are legal , the use he made of them means he could be tried , " a police official said .