Pope John Paul has expressed deep sorrow at the killing of four journalists in Afghanistan earlier this week.
Addressing his weekly general audience at the Vatican, the pope led prayers for the four victims and expressed condolences to their families and for all victims of violence.
Unknown gunmen forced the four out of their vehicle on the road from Jalalabad to Kabul on Monday, then shot and killed them. The four victims were an Austrian television cameraman, an Afghan photographer, and reporters for major Spanish and Italian newspapers.