Bulgarian linked to Pope attack

Press, 27 November 1982, Page 8

Bulgarian linked to Pope attack

NZPA Rome Italian anti-terrorist police yesterday arrested a Bulgarian travel official on suspicion of complicity in last year’s attempted: assassination of Pope John Paul. Serguey Ivanov Antonov, aged 34, an employee in the Balkan Bulgarian Airlines tourist office in Rome, was being held on a warrant issued by magistrates investigating the attack by a Turkish gunman in St

Peter’s Square, the police said. Justice Ministry sources said that Mr Antonov was suspected of having played an active role in the shooting by a self-styled Right-wing terrorist, Mehmet Ali'Agca, during a public audience on May 13 last year in which Pope John Paul was seriously wounded. Agca, sentenced in July by an Italian court to life imprisonment for attempted murder, has repeatedly said

that he acted alone. But investigations into conspiracy rumours have already led to the arrest of two other Turks, in West Germany and Switzerland, on suspicion of being his accomplices. Eye-witnesses said that Mr Antonov was arrested in the airline’s offices shortly after he arrived for work. At the same time anti-terrorist police raided his flat in a neighbouring block, taking away two suitcases contain-

ing documents. Residents, who described Mr Antonov as a quiet and unassuming man, said he had lived alone in the same Rome flat for the last four years, receiving . occasional visits from his wife and .child living in Sofia. The flat's caretaker said that the police had made inquiries about his movements a week ago. Justice officials said that ■ Mr Antonov, the first East European to be officially linked to the assassination

attempt, was alleged to have helped Agca by providing him with a hide-out in Rome and might also have been in or near St Peter’s Square at the time of the shooting. Of the two alleged Turkish accomplices of Agca, Omar Bagci, aged 36. was extradited from Switzerland last month. He is suspected of providing Agca with his gun. The Italian authorities have also requested the extradition of Musa Cedar Celibi from West Germany.