Posted on 05/06/2022 6:52:53 PM PDT by marshmallow
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis authorized spending up to 1 million euros to free a Colombian nun kidnapped by al-Qaida-linked militants in Mali, a cardinal testified Thursday, revealing previously secret papal approval to hire a British security firm to find the nun and secure her freedom.
Cardinal Angelo Becciu’s bombshell testimony could pose serious security implications for the Vatican and Catholic Church, since he provided evidence that the pope was apparently willing to pay ransom to Islamic militants to free a nun, who was eventually let go last year.
Ransom payment are rarely if ever confirmed, precisely to dissuade future kidnappings, and it’s not known how much — if any Vatican money — actually ended up in the hands of the militants. Prosecutors have accused a Becciu co-defendant of embezzling around half the amount on high-end luxury items for herself.
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...
Tomorrow’s headline:
“10 more nuns held for ransom”
Will this lead to the kidnapping more nuns?
“Once you have paid him the Danegeld.
You never get rid of the Dane.”
– Rudyard Kipling
Everyone who goes to Mali is lacking the virtues of prudence, foresight and caution. Doh!
If they’re traditional nuns, no ransoms will be paid.
“Bus nuns”, however...
Probably. A nun that was one of my wife's elementary school teachers was kidnapped a few weeks ago in Burkina Faso.
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