January 12, 2010. If there are no last minute changes, on Monday 18th January the terrorist who shot Pope John Paul II will be a free man.

Ali Agca will leave a high security Sincan prison in Ankara after serving a 29 year sentence in Italy and Turkey for the attack on John Paul II and the murder of a Turkish journalist.

Over the years, Ali Agca has asked for Vatican and Portuguese citizenship, but his requests have been refused. In May, he asked for Polish citizenship, saying he was the spiritual brother of John Paul II.

The Polish authorities have said he has very little hope of success because hasn’t been of good service to Poland.

Whatever happens, the former terrorist says he will travel to Rome because he feels a duty to pray at the tomb of John Paul II. He says that after so many years in prison, he is a new man.

However, he’s being released without ever having revealed his biggest secret: who paid for him to shoot John Paul II?

JMB/EP