BULGARIAN COMPLICITY IN THE PAPAL ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 03428008
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: March 9, 2023
• Document Release Date: May 7, 2021
• Case Number: F-2019-01480
• Publication Date: December 20, 1982

SttlIET / SENSITIVE
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C.ential Intelligence Agency
Iftshington. D. C 2050S
20 DEC 190
MEMORANDUM FOR: The Secretary of State
The Secretary of Defense
Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs
Deputy Secretary of State
SUBJECT : Bulgarian Complicity in the Papal Assassination Attempt (S)
1. Attached is a memorandum requested by Ken Dam reviewing
all information available to the Agency on Bulgarian involvement
in the attempt to assassinate the Pope. As you will see in the
memorandum,
2. While the memorandum is very careful in its review of the
reporting,
Attachment:
As Stated
William J. Casey
Director of Central Intelligence
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T/SENSITIVE
Cl By Signer
DECL OADR
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� . MEMORANDIN
Bulgarian Complicity in the Papal Assassination Attempt
1. Introduction:, We are unable at this juncture to develop
a clear-cut, conclusive picture of Bulgarian involvement with
would-be papal assassin MlehMet All Agee. (b)(1)
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the Italian magistrate system, which gives ivesfigators and
prosecutors independence and wide latitude and prohibits public
disclosure until trial. This system also protects magistrates
from public scrutiny and has in the past led to selective press
leaks for political ur oses, articularl in cases that ca ture
public attention.
4.
This entire memorandum is
classified -SIMI,
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10. Agca maintained that
he had no confederates in his attempt against the Pope.
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Subse uentiv arrest warrants have been issued
for three Bulgarian nationals and
Turkish nationals on grounds that they assisted in Agca's
attempted assassination. The Bulgarians are:
Sergey Ivanov Antonov, a Bulgarian airlines
representative in Rome arrested on 25 November and now
in Italian custody.
MIND 0111.
OM AND
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four
Zhelyo Kolev Vasliev, a former secretary to the.
Bulgarian military attache in Balle who returned to
Bulgaria in July, 1982.
Todor Stoyanov Alvazov, the chief Bulgarian embassy
accountant, who returned to Bulgaria in November, 1982.
12.
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According to the US Embassy in
Rome, the alleged Bulgarian connection, currently a cause celebre
In Italy, has prompted political maneuvering within the newly
formed four party coalition. The Socialists, Social Democrats,
and Liberals charge that the Christian Democrats, who control the
Foreign and Interior ministries, have been reluctant to pursue
A
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the Bulgarian angle. While sensitive to the criticism leveled by
their coalition partners, the Christian Democrats insist that the
government must proceed cautiously until Martella's evidence has
been completely aired. Foreign Miinistet Colombo told Secretary
Shultz on 13 December that his government was not certain whetheropx1)
Agca's statements l were true, or were designed (b)13)
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to secure for Ages a reduced sentence.
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--15. The assassination attempt has been described, from the
point of view of the tradecraft demonstrated, as shoddy and
therefore, antithetical to the sound practices expected of a
professional intelligence organization. The US Embassy in Sofia
offers the view that it is difficult to believe that the
1 Bulgarian security services were directly involved in Ageals
assassination plot "because it would have been so stupid-"
Neither of these two considerations, however, necessarily exclude
the possibility of official Bulgarian involvement. ,-
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