The French sub-machine gun was kept in secretive Albania

Officials displayed the French-made sub-machine gun, saying it had been donated to the former Albanian communist regime in 1957.

They say it was a gift from one of the eight Italian partisans who executed the fascist strongman.

The gun has not been shown since the fall of communism in Albania in 1991.

Exhibition order

Shaban Sinani, general director of Albania's state archives, said the 7.65-calibre gun had been sent to communist leader Enver Hoxha's government by former Italian partisan Valter Audisio.

Mr Audisio donated the weapon on the condition that its whereabouts be kept secret, Mr Sinani added.

Partisans were told to execute Mussolini

Mussolini was caught in northern Italy after his regime had crumbled.

The partisans were under orders to execute him.

Mr Audisio fired the rifle five times, after two pistols jammed.

Besides Mussolini, the bullets also killed his lover Clara Petacci.

The partisans had no orders to execute her, but she was hit because she clung to him.

Their corpses were hung on display in Milan.