Priest admits Madonna bomb hoax

Christians in several countries have been offended by the show

A 63-year-old Dutch priest has confessed to making a hoax bomb threat in an attempt to stop a concert by US pop star Madonna, prosecutors say.

Her mock re-enactment of the crucifixion in one of the scenes offended some Christians during earlier shows in Italy and Germany.

But the concerts in Amsterdam went ahead as planned on Sunday and Monday.

A city official said the priest was arrested soon after making the call because he used his home phone.

Emergency services quickly traced the number.

The official, prosecutor's office spokesman Robert Meulenbroek, said that as this was probably the priest's first such offence, he was likely to receive a light sentence.

He has been released from custody pending a verdict.

"We take bomb threats seriously, but in this case it was clear very quickly that it was not real," Mr Meulenbroek told the Associated Press news agency.

Madonna has since gone on to do two concerts in Prague, and will play her final European date in Moscow next week.

Russian Orthodox Christians have also expressed concerns about the use of religious imagery in her show.