Italy Expels Pope Assassin Agca

Agca flew on Monday evening with an airliner Alitalia, accompanied by two police officers from Rome to Istanbul.

Rome (kath.net/KNA) Italy has expelled the Pope assassin Ali Agca and sent him back to Turkey. According to Italian media (Tuesday) reports, Agca flew last eve on a scheduled Alitalia accompanied by two police officers from Rome to Istanbul. Agca had put flowers on the grace of Pope John Paul II (1978-2005) on Saturday in Rome in St. Peter's Basilica. A Roman judge justified the expulsion of the 56-year-old Turk, according to the reports, that Agca's situation applies to the so-called Schengen States and is an undesirable person until 2016 and does not have a valid visa.

Agca had shot John Paul II on May 13, 1981 to St. Peter's Square and seriously injured him. The reason is indeed still unclear. Many observers suspect perpetrators in the former Communist Eastern Bloc. The Pope visited Agca 31 years ago, on December 27, 1983, in the Roman prison Rebibbia and forgave him.

Last week, Agca entered Italy in unexplained circumstances. After leaving St. Peter's Basilica, the Italian police arrested him. The Vatican announced that Agca could enter St. Peter's Basilica without problems, since the Vatican has no case against him pending. According to media reports Agca claims to have been brought by car from Austria to Rome.

An Italian court had sentenced him to life imprisonment after the attack, but pardoned Agca in 2000. After his return to Turkey he was arrested again because of his involvement with the right-wing Turkish "Grey Wolves"; thus for the murder of a journalist in 1979, he served another sentence till 2010. video document: The assassination of Pope John Paul II 1981 (engl.). film about Ali Agca (C) 2014 CBA Catholic News Agency. All rights reserved.