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October 10, 2006
Turkey: Muslim Youth Jailed For Priest's Murder
On February 5, in the city of Trabzon on the Black Sea Coast in the east of Turkey, a Catholic priest was shot dead. Father Andrea Santoro was praying at the Santa Maria Church in Trabzon, where he was the official priest. A youth came up behind him, and shot the priest twice in the back. After the killing, the youth fled. As he ran off, he shouted "Allahu Ackbar".
The incident happened as the Muslim world was frothing with rage over the Danish cartoons of the so-called "prophet" of Islam, Mohammed.
On February 7 a sixteen year old youth, known only as "O.A." was arrested. He had been hiding at a relative's home in Trabzon when he was apprehended at about 3.30 am. A .9mm handgun was recovered during the raid.
O.A. was indicted on charges of murdering the priest on April 12, and his trial began on May 15. Because of his age, the trial was not open to the press and public. Only his parents, lawyers and judicial members were present at the trial.
Today, according to AKI, the youth has been sentenced to eighteen years in jail. The prosecution had wanted him to be given a life sentence.
O.A. had been convicted on charges of "planned killing", "carrying an unlicensed gun" and "destruction of public security". Because of the youth's age, the life sentence was replaced by a fixed term sentence.
O.A.'s parents claimed that the decision was not just, and have said that they will launch an appeal.
Because of the in camera proceedings, it is still unknown if Father Santoro's murder was directly connected to the cartoon rage which was then obsessing the Muslim world.
Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at October 10, 2006 7:22 AM
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