Pope condemns kidnapping of innocent people by armed militias

Published: 2007-07-30

CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI condemned the kidnapping of innocent people especially by armed militias, calling such abductions "criminal acts" that violate human dignity and offend divine law. The pope also called for an end to the nuclear arms race, saying atomic technology should respect the environment and only be used for peaceful purposes. "The practice of exploiting innocent people in order to make partisan demands is becoming more widespread among armed groups," the pope said July 29 during the Angelus address at his summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, south of Rome. Such abductions represent "serious violations of human dignity which go against every basic rule of civilization and law, and seriously offend divine law," he said. Although the pope did not call attention to any particular armed group or people being held hostage, the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano said the appeal was aimed at extremist Islamic Taliban fighters who seized 23 South Korean Christian aid workers in Afghanistan July 19.

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