The Turkish gunman who shot Pope John Paul II might have been released from prison in error and may be returned to serve at least 11 more months, according to a Turkish newspaper report today.
Justice minister Cemil Cicek ordered a review of Mehmet Ali Agca's complicated case hours after his release from prison, Milliyetsays.
"According to preliminary information, I think the critical point is for how long Agca served time in Italy," Mr Cicek said in an interview.
He was quoted as saying that a local judge, who decided Mr Agca's release, had calculated the gunman had served 20 years in Italy but had not explicitly "stated dates when he entered and [was] released from prison".
"We will find that out by examining his file, for example if he served 19 years and not 20 years, then Agca must serve one more year in Turkey," Mr Cicek said.
Mr Agca spent 19 years and one month in prison in Italy between the day he was captured after he shot the pope on May 13th, 1981, in Rome and his extradition to Turkey on June 14th, 2000.
According to that calculation, Mr Agca must serve 11 more months in prison, the newspaper said.
AP