Official Wants Review of Pope Attacker’s Release
Turkey’s justice minister ordered a review of the release of Mehmet Ali Agca, the man who shot Pope John Paul II nearly 25 years ago.
Agca, now 48, served nearly 20 years in prison in Italy, then was extradited to Turkey, where he was serving time for the murder of a Turkish journalist.
Justice Minister Cemil Cicek ordered a review to see whether any errors were committed in the release. He apparently was responding to widespread criticism of the terms of the penalty for murdering journalist Abdi Ipekci. John Paul forgave Agca in a visit to his cell in 1983.
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