THE NEW ROMAN CIRCUS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00552R000505100073-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 23, 2010
• Sequence Number: 73
• Publication Date: June 1, 1985
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/23: CIA-RDP90-00552R000505100073-2
tpAPPEARED CHICAGO TRIBUNE
1 June 1985
The new Roman circus
The trial of eight.men for conspiring to shoot
Pope John Paul II is filling a courtroom in
Rome, and might fill the Coliseum. It easily
ranks, as the greatest show on earth; along
with international terrorism and the attempted
murder of a world figure, it combines a high-
stakes legal duel and elements of a circus.
Mehmet Ali Agca, the Turkish gunman who
shot'the Pope in 1981, is trying to.convince the
court and the world that he is crazy. If he
succeeds, the defendants-three Bulgarians
and five Turks including Mr. Agca-will have
Mr. Agca's testimony was detailed and fit the
known facts; nothing since has shown it to be
false.
If the story cannot be disproved, the quickest
way to discredit it is to show that Mr. Agca is
a lunatic. He has been trying hard to do that.
"I am Jesus Christ,"_ he shouted to the court.
"I am omnipotent. I announce the end of the
world. The world will very soon be destroyed."
Defense attorneys instantly took the cue.
"Finally," said one, "the world has seen by
whom the accusations were made." Mr.
a good chance at acquittal, and a number of.-- Agca's antics also minimize any embar-
Bulgarian and Soviet officials will breathe rassment for the Soviet bloc; if the eight are
ess will be able to
i
t
he C
much easier.
In the earlier trial that led to his conviction
and imprisonment for life, Mr. Agca's testimo-
ny implicated the Bulgarian secret service,
along with a Turkish. terrorist group, in the
plot to kill the Pope. Almost by necessity that
implicated the Soviet KGB; since the Bul-
garians would hardly hatch such a plan with-
out 'Soviet approval. The KGB in 1981 was
pr
ommun
s
convicted, t
denounce a verdict based on the ravings of a
madman (and one clearly deranged by reli-
gion, -another propaganda score for the Com-
munists). The intriguing question is how Mr.
Agca might have been persuaded to put on this
show. What was the bargain, and how was it
offered to him?
The prosecution now faces the problem of
proving sane a person who seems determined.
the Soviet Union. The scenario was so fantastic , to prove himself insane. And the court must
that: many people simply refused to believe it: try to keep on a rational level a trial that the
a superpower whose leader was suspected of whole Soviet bloc wants to turn. into a farce.
personal involvement in a depraved crime. Yet All concerned. will need a lot of staying power.
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/23: CIA-RDP90-00552R000505100073-2