Radical Polish priest issues apology for anti-Semitic remarks - Haaretz

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Sat., June 14, 2008 Sivan 11, 5768

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Last update - 14:37 24/07/2007

Radical Polish priest issues apology for anti-Semitic remarks

By Reuters and Haaret Service

A radical Polish priest apologised on Tuesday for making anti-Semitic comments as well as calling President Lech Kaczynski a liar and his wife a witch.

Audio tapes released by a Polish magazine this month appeared to capture Father Tadeusz Rydzyk accusing a "Jewish lobby" of trying to extract millions from the Polish state.

In addition, he told students of his outrage at the failure of the ruling Kaczynski brothers to toughen abortion laws -- already among Europe's toughest.

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Rydzyk is heard saying the support of the president's wife, Maria, for limited abortion rights amounted to backing euthanasia and suggesting she should first do it to herself.

"I did not intend to insult anybody, particularly the presidential couple of our nation and if anybody felt insulted, I apologise," Rydzyk wrote in a statement published in the daily Gazeta Wyborcza.

Rydzyk added that he does not act against any people on the basis of religion or race.

The Vatican has in the past rebuked Rydzyk for meddling in politics and for the xenophobic statements of his controversial broadcaster Radio Maryja, which is popular among poor uneducated Poles in villages and small towns.

But Poland's conservative president and his twin brother Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the prime minister, have defended the station. Rydzyk's support helped them win 2005 elections.

The release of the tapes prompted the president to urge the Catholic Church to take action against Rydzyk, but the row quickly quietened down. Rydzyk's order has downplayed the importance of his comments.

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1.	Poland is still very primitive	15:48	\|	Bozaglow	24/07/07

2.	So whats changed ???	16:16	\|	Larry	24/07/07

3.	My grandparents had to run from there, 20 years before WW2	16:21	\|	Alain	24/07/07

4.	Bozaglow	16:28	\|	European	24/07/07

5.	Bozaglow	16:46	\|	Albert Seligman	24/07/07

6.	truth always hurts	16:54	\|	son of yaffa	24/07/07

7.	European	17:02	\|	Albert Seligman	24/07/07

8.	And we are expected to believe this anti-Semite??	17:02	\|	Dina	24/07/07

9.	What apology?	17:13	\|	Ariel Sion	24/07/07

10.	Apology	17:13	\|	Lev	24/07/07

11.	Alain @ 2	17:21	\|	Chris	24/07/07

12.	Albert Seligman	17:25	\|	European	24/07/07

13.	Dina	17:26	\|	Peacenick	24/07/07

14.	Priest apology wasn`t from the Heart	17:36	\|	* BEN JABO	24/07/07

15.	Bozaglow	17:55	\|	Brad	24/07/07

16.	I Don`t Want To Fight With Poles	18:10	\|	Yosemite	24/07/07

17.	European	18:14	\|	Bozaglow	24/07/07

18.	#2 You shoul see ...	18:23	\|	American	24/07/07

19.	Why apologize	18:33	\|	Shana	24/07/07

20.	comment to Bozaglow	18:55	\|	Dutch	24/07/07

21.	#3 Mr Manners and Pie in the Sky	19:06	\|	Joel Weltman	24/07/07

22.	most Poles today are Anti Semites	19:17	\|	consorts	24/07/07

23.	Alain @2	19:18	\|	Chris	24/07/07

24.	Blood for Matzot	19:28	\|	Brauner Herman	24/07/07

25.	North Pole	19:34	\|	Brauner Herman	24/07/07

26.	Pleonasm	19:38	\|	Brauner	24/07/07

27.	son of yaffa, "the truth always hurts"	19:39	\|	Jake	24/07/07

28.	He is telling the truth	19:43	\|	Peret	24/07/07

29.	To European; what you are today is partly because of Jews	20:00	\|	Jake	24/07/07

30.	To `European`: more examples for you	20:21	\|	Jake	24/07/07

31.	There was a Polish equivalent of Der Sturmer	20:34	\|	C McCoy	24/07/07

32.	Brad	20:37	\|	Sam	24/07/07

33.	To "European", examples of great non-European Jews	21:04	\|	Jake	24/07/07

34.	Hey Jake what are some great non-Jewish Europeans?	22:18	\|	Question	24/07/07

35.	What jews are is BECAUSE of Europeans	22:20	\|	Peacenick	24/07/07

36.	Jake	22:23	\|	Question	24/07/07

37.	jake	22:25	\|	Euro Guy 2	24/07/07

38.	jake	22:34	\|	Me	24/07/07

39.	Brauner Herman	23:56	\|	Robert	24/07/07

40.	private history	16:38	\|	Anrew	26/07/07

41.	90% of Polish people	07:56	\|	Evita	28/07/07

42.	Bozaglow	11:17	\|	Ryna	29/07/07

43.	to Bozaglow	00:32	\|	michal	14/06/08

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