Concerns over the Pope’s visit to Turkey after Father Santoro’s murderer is sentencedDuring the trial she always defended her son without showing any remorse. Instead, she said her son’s deed “was a gift to the state and the nation,” that her condemned son “is a victim for Allah.”
Yesterday, she went as far as comparing him to Ali Agca, the would-be murderer of Pope John Paul II and told her son to shout “Allah khbar”, Allah is great.
O.A.’s brother also defended him and said that the fault lies with Western provocations, their “attack against the nation”. He accused the West and the "American dogs” of causing all evils.“It is clear,” said Mgr Padovese, “that the background that made Santoro’s murder possible is nationalist-Islamist. That milieu is scary because it embodies the soul of some segments of Turkish society, increasingly inflexible, justifying violence. It is terrible that throughout the trial mother and son showed no remorse for the murder. In fact they almost said they would do it again.”
Our prayers should continue in preparation for our Holy Father as he prepares for his trip to Turkey. Prayers of protection for all in Turkey, most especially for those that are working diligently on safety measures before and during Benedict XVI's visit.
