Man jumps out at Pope
Wednesday, 06 Jun 2007 20:11
Pope Benedict XVI seemed unaffected by the incident
A man needed to be restrained by security guards after seemingly trying to attack Pope Benedict XVI in Rome.
The man, who was wearing a red top and a baseball cap, jumped over the security fence which separated the Pope from people who gathered in St Peter's Square at the Vatican for his general audience today.
TV pictures showed him climb over the barrier just as the motorised popemobile was passing with the pontiff on board.
The man was within inches of being able to touch the Pope when several security guards bundled him to the floor.
Pope Benedict appeared unfazed by the incident and it was not immediately clear whether he had noticed the man.
He continued his route and carried on waving to the crowd as he went.
The incident is likely to refresh memories of May 1981 when Pope Benedict's predecessor, Pope John Paul II, survived an assassination attempt in the square.
Turkish citizen Ali Agca fired four shots at the Pope and two of the bullets lodged in his intestine.
Agca is currently serving life in jail in Turkey for the murder of journalist Abdi Ipekci in 1979, having previously been imprisoned in Italy for 19 years.