VATICAN CITY
Brisbane Times
Tom Kington, Rome
April 28, 2012
VATICAN employees who have been leaking embarrassing letters about corruption and nepotism in the tiny city state are to be hunted down by a crack squad of cardinals led by a senior member of the religious group Opus Dei.
Irritated by the anonymous release of documents to the press this year, Pope Benedict has named Cardinal Julian Herranz, 82, to lead a three-man team which will haul in members of staff for questioning and rifle through files until they catch the perpetrators of what has been dubbed ”Vatileaks”.
A statement on the front page of the Vatican’s daily newspaper warned the team had a full ”pontifical mandate” to ”shed complete light” on whistleblowers, who have lifted the lid on alleged theft and false accounting.
Cardinal Herranz was a long-time personal secretary to Josemaria Escriva, the canonised founder of Opus Dei, which has been accused of excessive secrecy for its strict control over members and undue influence within the Vatican. Cardinal Herranz has insisted that Opus Dei has ”no hidden agenda” and is only interested in ”the message of Christ”.
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