Pope condemns car bomb attack in southern Iraq, offers condolences

Published: 2003-11-12

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope John Paul II condemned a car bomb attack on an Italian military post in southern Iraq and offered his condolences to the families of the dead. At least 14 Italian military and eight Iraqi civilians were reported dead Nov. 12 after the car bomb attack on the headquarters of the Italian military police in An Nasiriyah. "With deep sadness I heard the news of the vile attack in An Nasiriyah, Iraq, where Italian military police and soldiers lost their lives while generously fulfilling their mission of peace," the pope wrote in a telegram to Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi. "I express my firmest condemnation of this new act of violence which, added to other cruel gestures made in that tormented country, does not aid pacification and rebuilding," the pope wrote. The deaths of the Italian military were expected to reignite the debate in Italy over Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's support of the Iraqi war and over the government's decision to send 3,000 troops to the country for peacekeeping and humanitarian assistance.

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