Bulgarian may be freed

Press, 10 January 1983, Page 8

Bulgarian may be freed

• NZPA-Reuter Rome Magistrates at the weekend tested the alibi of a Bulgarian suspected of complicity in the attempted murder of the Pope in 1981 by questioning him face-to-face with the convicted Turkish gunman, Mehmet Ali Agca. Judicial sources said that Serguey Antonov, a Bulgarian airline official held in custody since November, had been taken for crossexamination to a maximum security jail in Rome where Agca is serving a life sentence for shooting and seriously wounding Pope John Paul. Agca was reported to have identified Mr Antonov as one of a team of Bulgarian secret service agents who took him to St Peter’s Square, where the attack took place, told him from where to shoot, and advised ■ him on the best escape route. Earlier last week Mr Antonov’s lawyers said that they had given magistrates an exhaustive account of the Bulgarian's activities on the dates he is alleged to have helped Agca plan and execute the attack. A Public Prosecutor, Francesco Scorza, who had attended the session with the investigating magistrate, Mr Ilario Martella, was expected to decide this week whether Mr Antonov should be released for lack of evidence, the sources said.