Man Convicted of Pope Assassination Attempt Fails to Report to Police (How Predictable)

AP via FoxNews ^ | 14 Jan 2006 | None

[JRios1968]

ANKARA, Turkey — The man convicted of trying to assassinate Pope John Paul II and released from prison this week failed to report to police Saturday, Turkish media reported Saturday, but his lawyer insisted he was "a free person" who did not have to check in.

Mehmet Ali Agca has not been seen in public since his release Thursday, and failed to show up at a police station both Friday and Saturday despite a warning that a warrant could be issued for his arrest, Turkish television networks said.

Agca was released from an Istanbul prison after serving some 25 years in Italy and in Turkey for the assassination attempt on the pope and the killing of a prominent Turkish journalist.

Authorities said Agca, 48, was required to check in so officials could keep tabs on him until a military recruitment center decides whether he can be drafted. Agca was arrested on suspicion of dodging Turkey's draft but escaped a military prison in 1979.

[JRios1968]

...Agca's lawyer, Mustafa Demirbag, told the Anatolia news agency that Agca "is a free person" who did not have to report regularly to authorities.

[satchmodog9]

Sounds like a good reason to put the bugger back in the clink.

[DoughtyOne]

Now here's a guy I'd want next to me in the trenches...

NOT!!!

[JRios1968]

They could have solved this with a bullet to his brain in 1981...

[texianyankee]

I wonder if Pope Benedict has been alerted?

[avile]

they must have ACLU types in Turkey

[voiceinthewind]

yikes!

[festus]

Authorities said Agca, 48, was required to check in so officials could keep tabs on him until a military recruitment center decides whether he can be drafted.

And we sometimes think the US justice system is a wee bit off kilter.

[Howlin]

bump.

Fox says he has missed 2 check-ins now.

[RedRover]

Wonder if he's been whisked away by ex-KGB agents who want to be sure he never talks.

[Vaquero]

Face it....he's on his way to a al-Qaeda or Hezbollah training camp or perhaps the front lines against us in Iraq or Afghanistan.....thats not a stretch now is it?

[nmh]

Yes, yes, he's forgiven and all is well. He shouldn't be punished. Nah. There need not be consequences for bad behavior - after all this man was forgiven, right?

LOL!

[MrBambaLaMamba]

Swiss Guard payback?

[ErnBatavia]

Last week, on a thread about the upcoming release, I was "fabbergastic" at the number of FReepers who agreed he should be back on the streets, since Il Papa had done the foregiveness thing.

[JRios1968]

In Vermont he would have gotten 60 days.

[quantim]

At least he spent 25 years in the slammer. It's not like he got away with murder like Fat Ted.

[elli1]

Agca spent 19 years and one month in prison in Italy between the day he was captured after he shot the pope on May 13, 1981, in St. Peter's Square in Rome, and his extradition to Turkey on June 14, 2000. He served the last five years in Turkey for murdering the Turkish journalist Abdi Ipekci in 1979.

Within hours of his release, Justice Minister Cemil Cicek ordered a review of Agca's case, and later told a Turkish newspaper that Agca may be returned to his cell to serve at least 11 more months for killing Ipekci.

"At least he spent 25 years in the slammer. It's not like he got away with murder like Fat Ted."

19 years, 1 month for shooting the Pope and 5 years for murder.

I'm hopeful that the reason he hasn't checked in is because he has been checked out.

[ElkGroveDan]

I'm sure he's heading for the border regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan. Where he'll be welcomed with opened arms.

[elli1]

Wonder if he's been whisked away by ex-KGB agents who want to be sure he never talks.

Me, too.

[YOUGOTIT]

He done gone to the KGB!!!!!!!!