Pope condemns Bhutto killing

The pope today condemned the assassination of Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto as a “brutal terrorist attack” and prayed that further violence would be avoided following her death.

“The Holy Father expresses sentiments of deep sympathy and spiritual closeness to the members of her family and to the entire Pakistani nation,” the Vatican’s No. 2, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, said in a telegram of condolence sent to the head of Pakistan’s Catholic bishops’ conference.