By Cindy Wooden
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — An arrest warrant has been issued in
Canada for Msgr. Carlo Capella, the Vatican diplomat recalled from service in
Washington in late August, who already was the subject of a Vatican criminal
investigation involving child pornography.
Police in Windsor, Ontario, issued a statement Sept. 28 saying, “A Canada-wide arrest warrant has been issued
for Carlo Capella, a 50-year-old male, for the charges of: access(ing) child pornography,
possess(ing) child pornography and distribut(ing) child pornography.”
“Investigators believe that the offenses occurred while
the suspect was visiting a place of worship in Windsor,” the statement
said. “Investigators have determined that the suspect has returned to his residence
in Italy.”
Msgr. Capella had worked since the summer of 2016 at the
Vatican nunciature in Washington. Prior to that, he worked on the Italy desk at
the Vatican Secretariat of State. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1993 for
the Archdiocese of Milan.
Although the Vatican has not publicly confirmed Msgr. Capella’s
identity, it did not object when many news outlets identified him as the Vatican
diplomat recalled from Washington.
The Vatican press office said Sept. 15 that the Vatican was
notified Aug. 21 by the U.S. Department of State “of a possible violation of
laws relating to child pornography images by a member of the diplomatic corps
of the Holy See accredited to Washington.”
“The Holy See, following the practice of sovereign
states, recalled the priest in question, who is currently in Vatican
City,” the press office said.
The Associated Press reported that the State Department
confirmed it had asked the Vatican to lift the official’s diplomatic immunity.
It said that request was denied.
The Vatican promoter of justice, the chief prosecutor for
Vatican City State, “opened an investigation and has already commenced
international collaboration to obtain elements relative to the case,” the
Vatican said.
The Vatican press office declined to comment on the Windsor
police statement.
The statement said that “in February of 2017, the
Windsor Police Service Internet Child Exploitation Unit received information
that originated from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police National Child
Exploitation Coordination Center indicating that a suspect in the city of
Windsor had allegedly uploaded child pornography using a social networking
website.”
The Windsor police launched an investigation and “were
granted judicial permission to review records related to the involved internet
service provider address,” the statement said. The investigation “determined
that the alleged offenses occurred between Dec. 24-27, 2016,” at a Windsor
church.
Canada’s CBC News quoted a spokesman for the Diocese of
London, which includes Windsor, confirming “that it was asked to, and did,
assist in an investigation around suspicions involving Msgr. Capella’s possible
violations of child pornography laws by using a computer address at a local church.”
Nelson Couto, diocesan spokesman, said that at the request
of police, the diocese would not comment further.
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