Man who shot Pope claims he is a messenger of God

THE Turk who shot Pope John Paul II in 1981 was released from prison yesterday after more than 29 years behind bars and proclaimed he was a messenger of God and the world will end this century.

Mehmet Ali Agca, 52, waved as he left the prison. Turkish authorities plan to monitor him closely because of long-standing questions about his mental health.

Agca shot John Paul on May 13, 1981, as the pope rode in an open car in St Peter’s Square. The pontiff was hit in the abdomen, left hand and right arm, but the bullets missed vital organs. John Paul met with Agca in Italy’s Rebibbia prison in 1983 and forgave him for the shooting.