ARGENTINA: Holocaust-denying bishop Richard Williamson still in Argentina after expulsion order

Record ID: 446551

  • Title: ARGENTINA: Holocaust-denying bishop Richard Williamson still in Argentina after expulsion order
  • Date: 21st February 2009
  • Summary: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA (FILE) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF JEWS ENTERING SYNAGOGUEZ VARIOUS OF ORTHODOX JEWS PRAYING
  • Embargoed: 8th March 2009 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Argentina
  • Country: Argentina
  • Topics: History,Religion
  • Reuters ID: LVA9X9DSM00GC3SGSLR6CJ77YR6D
  • Story Text: Bishop Richard Williamson remained in Argentina on Friday (February 20) a day after the government announced an ultimatum for him to leave the country.
    Argentina gave the Roman Catholic bishop, part of the ultra-traditionalist Catholic Society St. Pius X, 10 days to leave the country or be expelled after he caused an international uproar by denying the extent of the Holocaust.
    Williamson, who headed a seminary near Buenos Aires until earlier this month, has said he believes there were no gas chambers and that no more than 300,000 Jews died in Germany's Nazi concentration camps, rather than the 6 million figure that is widely accepted.
    A man who identified himself as Father Rubio spoke with journalists at a St Pius X center in Buenos Aires, saying local sect officials had received the ultimatum.
    "We've received it. Everything has its process. (Who received it?) The institution. (And you're going to give to Monsignor Williamson?) Everything has its process," he said.
    Argentine migrations officials confirmed Williamson had not left the country, but it is unclear whether he is inside the seminary and what his plans are.
    Jewish leaders in Argentina joined in the global rebuke of Williamson.
    Aldo Donzis, the head of a Jewish group in Buenos Aires, said kicking the bishop out of the country was the least that can be done.
    "This person can't be here. Not only does he offend the Jewish community, but he offends Argentine society and all of humanity. The Holocaust was, I think, the darkest stage humanity has suffered. And for someone to dare to deny the Holocaust at a time when we can still hear surviving witnesses tell of those horrors, the least he deserves is to be kicked out of the country," he said.
    Argentina is predominately Catholic, but has one of the oldest Jewish communities outside Israel.
    On Friday morning, people were seen walking in and out of the sprawling tree-lined compound in the rural town of La Reja where Williamson was removed earlier this month as director.
    A clergyman from Williamson's seminary defended the bishop.
    "It's a shame, of course, that they take away our director and father in such an unjust and terrible way. Any one would feel this way if they took their father away," said the clergyman, known as Angel de Jesus y Maria.
    According to the Argentine government, Williamson's views are anti-Semitic and "deeply offended Argentine society".
    Pope Benedict angered Jewish leaders and many Catholics last month when he lifted excommunications on Williamson and three other traditionalists to try to heal a 20-year-old schism within the Church that began in 1988 when they were ordained without Vatican permission.
    World Jewish organizations and German Chancellor Angela Merkel criticized the pope for rehabilitating Williamson. The pope, who is German-born, has tried to heal wounds by meeting Jewish leaders and ordering Williamson to recant his views.
    Holocaust denial is a crime in Germany and state prosecutors in the southern city of Regensburg are investigating Williamson for incitement.
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