The Turkish government, wary of the effect the murder [of Father Andrea Santoro] might have on the image of the only predominantly Muslim country in talks to join the European Union, has insisted the murder was a rare case of religious violence in the secular state.

“I think this was an isolated incident,” Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said in an interview with Italy’s Republica daily. He said the government was combating extremists which were trying to sabotage Turkey’s EU bid.

The Turks are certainly worried that their EU bid is going to be thrown on the funeral pyre Muslim extremists have built. If only there were as worried about protecting Christians.

Fears of further attacks on Turkey’s Christian minority – barely numbering 60,000 in a population of 72 million – were raised further after [Father] Martin Kmetec said he was grabbed and threatened with death by a group of young men at his home.

For more on that story check out the report from Asia News: A priest is beaten in Izmir, to the cries of —we will kill you all—

This latest attack targets a Slovenian friar and comes the same day the Vatican confirms Benedict XVI’s visit to Turkey, scheduled for November.

Ankara (AsiaNews) —“ With the battle cry —we will kill you all— a group of youths launched themselves in attack on a Franciscan friar in Izmir (the ancient Smyrna). The attack took place within the confines of St. Helen’s parish.

Speaking with evident emotion, Msgr Luigi Padovese, Apostolic Vicar of Anatolia, says —The boys grabbed him by the throat shouting —we will kill you all——. According to the bishop this latest aggression is —fruit of rampant fanaticism—. The attack took place within the monastic compound. The priest, who hails from Slovenia, is Martin Kmetec.

Msgr Padovese says that brother Kmetec reported the incident to local police but —they took little heed of the attack—.

Little heed indeed. Guess that EU bid isn’t all that important.

Note that it was not a group of youths. These seven or eight men, all in their twenties, shouting Allahu Akbar, took the priest by the throat and said —We’re going to finish you off in the name of God.—

Then again maybe Muslims in Turkey are all adolescents?