TV Eye documentary on shooting of John Paul II

Title

TV Eye documentary on shooting of John Paul II

Genre

Interview; Documentary; Advertisement; Special

TX Date

3 Sep 1981

Year of production

1981

Play audio

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Duration

00:30:08

Description

Julian Manyon investigative report for Thames Television’s TV Eye documentary series on the attempt to kill Pope John Paul II on 13/05/81 in St Peter’s Square, and the Vatican and Italian secret services’ belief communist Soviet bloc countries organised an assassination plot, because the Polish pope had given support to Poland’s Solidarity movement. Follows the trail of Turkish assassin Mehmet Ali Agca from Turkey and early involvement with Grey Wolves terrorist organisation, to contacts in Bulgaria and extensive travels in Europe and the Middle East before the attempt. Interviews (in translation) with Cardinal Confalonieri; journalist Francesco D’Andrea; Security Services Minister Francesco Mazzola; State Prosecutor Nicolo D’Amato; brother Adnan Agca; unidentified US amateur photographer at the shooting. With actuality in Rome (including of Pope), Turkey and Bulgaria, and readings from Agca’s statement. Includes following television advertisements.

Contributors

Pope John Paul II; Thames Television; Julian Manyon; Carlo Confalonieri; Francesco D’Andrea; Adnan Agca; Nicolo D’Amato; Francesco Mazzola

Keywords

Popes; Pope John Paul II; Karol Wojtyla; Conspiracy; USSR; Homicide; Television programmes; Espionage; Imprisonment; Poland; Solidarity; Turkey; Intelligence service; Guns; Bulgaria; Television documentaries; KGB; Mehmet Ali Agca; TV Eye; Grey Wolves; St. Peter’s Square

The copyright of audio recordings in the LBC / IRN Digitisation Archive is owned by Global Radio UK Ltd.