TURKISH COURT BEGINS TRIAL OF A TURK SUSPECTED OF KILLING CATHOLIC PRIEST

Armenpress
May 15 2006

YEREVAN, MAY 15, ARMENPRESS: A Turkish court in the Black Sea city of
Trabzon began Monday the trial of the 16-year old suspected killer
of Andrea Santoro- an Italian priest murdered at Santa Maria Church
in Trabzon in February.

Father Andrea Santoro, 60, had been shot twice in the back on February
5 as he knelt praying after Sunday afternoon mass in the front row of
the Santa Maria Catholic Church. The two bullets pierced his heart and
liver killing him almost instantly. A life sentence has been sought
for the 16-year-old suspected killer of the Italian priest. The
public prosecutor has charged the accused with murder with intent,
possession of an illegal fire arm and willfully endangering public
safety. For these three charges the prosecutor is seeking respectively,
a life sentence, one year, and between three to six months.

Several foreign and national journalists along with Turkish
parliamentary human rights watch commission members are attending the
hearing. The accused will be tried as a juvenile since he is under
18 years of age.

Ballistics tests have confirmed that the handgun used in the priest’s
killing belonged to the suspects father.