Cardinal clarifies his reported statement on death of Indian fishermen

(February 23.2012) Indian Cardinal George Alencherry, spiritual head of the Syro-Malabar Church, has denied any offer of mediation and said a full investigation was required, in the case of the shooting by Italian marines of two Indian fishermen. Rome-based Agenzia Fides news service had quoted the new Cardinal as saying Wednesday that he “had taken an interest in mediating and seeking a peaceful solution to the delicate situation.” However in a statement of clarification issued today from Fides, Cardinal Alencherry sought to clarify what he suggested was a misunderstanding of previous statements. Cardinal Alencherry’s reported statements came a day after a magistrate remanded into custody two guards of an Italian oil tanker for their alleged shooting of two fishermen on February 15. Father Paul Thelakat, spokesman for the Syro-Malabar Church, said the media had misquoted Cardinal Alencherry and denied that he had made any attempt to shield the arrested Italian guards from prosecution. “Let the law take its own course of action. We are no party to it,” he said. Cardinal Alencherry had been in Rome, where he and 21 other prelates last week received their investiture as cardinals.