Vatican denies Pope’s butler was ‘double agent’ in Vatileaks scandal

A trial, however, would be public, and could turn into the city state’s most sensational for decades.

The valet was questioned by Vatican prosecutors in the presence of his two lawyers as well as a Vatican judicial official known as the “promoter of justice”, as part of the process that could lead to him being charged with “aggravated theft” and put on trial.

If convicted, he could be sent to prison for up to six years, a sentence that would have to be served in an Italian jail, because the Vatican does not have one.

Prosecutors could also charge him with receiving stolen goods, criminal association and stealing secrets from a head of state, crimes which carry additional penalties of one to five years under Vatican law.

Vatican observers have speculated that should he be convicted, he might receive a papal pardon and not have to serve any time behind bars.

“There’s no way they’re going to give him a heavy sentence for espionage and stealing state secrets,” said Father Thomas Reese, a Vatican expert at the Woodstock Theological Centre at Georgetown University in Washington.

Mr Gabriele has been held since May 23 in a 12ft by 12ft room inside the headquarters of the Gendarmerie, the city state’s 130-strong police force.

It is equipped with a desk and a bed and has a crucifix on the wall.

The valet, a devout Catholic who was previously seen as intensely loyal to the Pope, is allowed to attend Mass at a nearby chapel, where he is not handcuffed, and to read newspapers. He is served the same meals that are eaten by Vatican gendarmes.

The Vatican’s de facto prime minister – who appears to be one of the main targets of the shadowy plot – spoke for the first time of the scandal.

Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican’s secretary of state and the Pope’s right-hand man, said the theft and leaking of compromising documents seemed to be part of a “ferocious and targeted” campaign against 85-year-old Benedict’s papacy.

He insisted that the Pope would not allow himself to be “intimidated” by the scandal, dubbed “Vatileaks” by the Italian media.

Many of the leaked documents appeared to be aimed at discrediting Cardinal Bertone himself, casting in a negative light his apparent attempts to block efforts to tackle corruption and nepotism and measures to improve transparency within the Vatican bank.

Exactly who is behind the theft of the papers and letters remains a mystery, but there is widespread speculation in Rome that they are at least in part an attempt to topple Cardinal Bertone, against a background of jockeying for power in anticipation of Benedict’s death and the election of a new Pope.

Vatican investigators, including a specially-appointed commission of three cardinals, suspect at least five other people of being part of the plot, the Italian media claimed.

Views: 0

You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

Leave a Reply

Powered by WordPress | Designed by: Premium WordPress Themes | Thanks to Themes Gallery, Bromoney and Wordpress Themes