Rome
The KGB was behind the 1981 assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II, according to documents from the former East Germany that were leaked to Italian newspapers last week. The Polish-born pope’s anti-communist sermons were stirring up nationalist sentiment in Poland, then a satellite of the Soviet Union, and this was alarming the Soviet leadership. The man convicted of shooting the pope, Turkish-born Ali Agca, had ties to the secret service of Bulgaria, another Soviet satellite. According to the documents, the Soviets ordered the attack and the Bulgarians carried it out, with East German assistance. The Bulgarian government said this week its archives from the communist era contain no evidence of involvement in the plot.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Donald Trump’s week in Asia: can he shift power away from China?Today's Big Question US president’s whirlwind week of diplomacy aims to bolster economic ties and de-escalate trade war with China
-
The Icelandic women’s strike 50 years onIn The Spotlight The nation is ‘still no paradise’ for women, say campaigners
-
Mall World: why are people dreaming about a shopping centre?Under The Radar Thousands of strangers are dreaming about the same thing and no one sure why
