PR expert Francesca Chaouqui, one
of five defendants in the so-called Vatileaks 2 trial into the
leaking of classified Holy See documents to two investigative
reporters, arrived at the Vatican for a hearing on Monday
afternoon accompanied by four bodyguards.
A visibly pregnant Chaouqui, wearing a black suit and
pulling two wheeled suitcases, did not respond to questions from
journalists as she passed through the Perugino entrance.
She was preceded by Emiliano Fittipaldi, author of the
bestselling 'Avarice' documenting lavish spending by clergymen
and one of two journalists on trial on charges of spreading
classified information.
The other is Gianluigi Nuzzi, author of another
controversial book, the Way of the Cross, documenting alleged
Vatican waste and mismanagement.
Fittipaldi was due to be the first defendant to take the
stand in the trial, which also involves Monsignor Lucio Vallejo
Balda and Balda's former assistant Nicola Maio.
Chaouqui, Balda and Maio are accused of criminal
association and conspiracy to leak classified documents.
Balda has said he gave Nuzzi a password to a Vatican
archive under pressure from Chaouqui, while the latter puts all
the blame for leaking the documents on the prelate.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
