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View Full Version : Soviets 'ordered Pope shooting'

OneWorld22
3rd Mar 2006, 07:01
An Italian parliamentary commission has concluded that the former Soviet Union was behind the 1981 assassination attempt on the late Pope John Paul II.

The head of the commission, Paolo Guzzanti, said it was sure beyond "reasonable doubt" that Soviet leaders ordered the shooting.

"This commission believes, beyond all reasonable doubt, that the leaders of the USSR took the initiative to eliminate Pope Karol Wojtyla," the report said.
Soviet leaders "communicated this decision to the military secret service in order that it carry out the necessary operations", it continued.

The commission said the Soviet Union felt the Pope was a danger because of his support for the democracy-linked Solidarity labour movement in Poland, his native country.

Imagine if this had been known at the time?? Would it have brought us over the brink?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4767652.stm
West Coast
3rd Mar 2006, 07:11
Pre-nuke days I would think it possible, one only need remember the trigger for WWI.
In the nuke era, a lot of posturing but little in the way of military action.
Buster Hyman
3rd Mar 2006, 07:16
Wasn't Putin running the KGB around that time???:eek:
FLCH
3rd Mar 2006, 07:24
Wasn't Putin running the KGB around that time???
Could you say he was "Putin on the hits??" Nahh didn't think so....
acbus1
3rd Mar 2006, 09:35
Wouldn't be the first time a Pope (directly or not) caused major bloodshed and suffering.

And Simon Schama ("History of Britain") wouldn't have had anything to talk about if there'd never been a papacy.
nutcracker43
3rd Mar 2006, 10:36
Buster Hyman.

No to that... but he was running round in the DDR in the KGB probably doing what they liked best...bonking DDR girls.

NC43
strafer
3rd Mar 2006, 10:58
Am I missing something, I thought this was known at the time? The Turkish geezer's links to the Bulgarian secret police were quickly established and they didn't do anything without the Soviet's permission?
Maude Charlee
3rd Mar 2006, 17:36
Also the subject of the plot in Tom Clancy's 'Red Rabbit', written a number of years ago. Hardly sounds like a major scoop in this context.