Shooter of pope wants to adopt homeland

ISTANBUL, Turkey, May 23 (UPI) -- Mehmet Ali Agca, the Turkish terrorist who shot Polish-born Pope John Paul II in 1981, wants to be a Polish citizen, his lawyer has announced.

Imprisoned in Istanbul, Agca wrote a letter to Polish President Lech Kaczynski asking to become a citizen of "that dignified homeland of Karol Wojtyla (the Pope's civil name)," a man he considers to be a "messiah."

Agca said in his letter he is "the spiritual brother of John Paul II, who was a wonderful, perfect human being."

Legal proceedings have begun, the Sofia news agency said, and Kaczynski will make the final decision.