Mehmet Ali Agca

3 Stories

Guy Who Tried to Kill Pope Leaves Flowers on His Grave

Mehmet Ali Agca says he 'felt the need to make this gesture'

(Newser) - Mehmet Ali Agca, who tried to assassinate Pope John Paul II in 1981, today brought flowers to the late pope's tomb in St. Peter's Basilica, the AP reports. Agca, a former extremist who was 23 when he shot the pontiff, told police in Rome, "I felt the...

Man Who Shot Pope John Paul Freed

Agca promises to reveal truth behind shooting, claims to be messiah

(Newser) - The Turkish man who shot and wounded Pope John Paul II in 1981 was freed yesterday after nearly 30 years in jail and has promised to tell the full story about the assassination attempt. Mehmet Ali Agca claimed after the shooting that Soviet agents were behind the attack—a theory...

John Paul II's Attacker Wants Vatican Baptism

Man who shot pontiff seeks ceremony after prison release

(Newser) - The man who shot Pope John Paul II gets out of prison in January—and when he does, he wants to be baptized at the Vatican, his lawyer says. Over the years, Mehmet Ali Agca has claimed to be the Messiah or Jesus Christ, fueling speculation about his mental health...

3 Stories