[Mb-civic] CBC News - VATICAN RADIO OFFICIALS CONVICTED

Mon May 9 16:29:04 PDT 2005

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VATICAN RADIO OFFICIALS CONVICTED
WebPosted Mon May  9 15:16:37 2005

ROME---A court in Rome on Monday convicted a Vatican cardinal and the
head of the city-state's radio station for electromagnetic pollution.

They were given 10-day suspended sentences, which they have appealed.

Cardinal Roberto Tucci, former head of Vatican Radio's management
committee, and the Rev. Pasquale Borgomeo, the station's director
general, were charged with "dangerous launching of objects," referring to
the station's electromagnetic waves.

Residents of the Rome suburb Cessano near the station complained they
could hear Vatican Radio broadcasts through their lamps because of
electromagnetic disturbances.

"It is a great success and a great victory for those people who have been
suffering for years," said Lorenzo Parlati, head of the environmental
group Legambiente for the Lazio Region, which was part of the civil suit.
It claimed the waves were harming the health of those living nearby.

"A mother whose child died of leukemia shouted out of emotion when the
verdict was read out," Parlati said.

The station's program director said he was "stunned" by the ruling from
Judge Luisa Martoni.

"We contend that our transmission is in line with accords between Italy
and the Vatican," Rev. Federico Lombardi said.

The court acquitted another Vatican Radio official, the head of
technical services.

The matter has been to court before. A judge threw out the case in 2002,
saying Vatican officials had immunity under a 1929 treaty between the
Holy See and Italy that established the Vatican as an independent city-
state. But Italy's Supreme Court later ruled the case could proceed.