Priest killed by 'poisoned chalice'

Easter celebrations elsewhere in Latin America have passed without incident

Police in Colombia suspect a satanic cult may be behind an Easter-time plot to poison Catholic priests.

A priest and his assistant died earlier this week after drinking wine laced with cyanide, delivered as Easter gifts.

Police say gifts of wine were also sent to several other parishes in the capital Bogota. Further deaths were avoided because they issued a warning after the first priest died.

Father Jesus David Saenz and Marina Rojas, a mother of six, collapsed and died after drinking the wine at a pre-Easter ceremony at a church in the eastern town of Villavicencio, 55 miles southeast of Bogota on Thursday.

Lethal gifts

The wine was sent to the church in a parcel also containing chocolates and other sweets.

Although sent by an unknown donor, it was thought to be an innocent gift from a parishioner in honour of the Easter holiday.

On the same day, 150 miles away in Sibate, Father Jose Holmes also received a bottle. His sister and the church sacristan, Nidia Torres and Nelson Ortiz, opened the wine but found it tasted too bitter. One sip each sent them to hospital, dangerously ill.

The deadly gift was seen delivered by a man carrying three other parcels.

Twelve suspicious packets have been found and will be tested for poison. Experts say the speed and symptoms suggest arsenic poisoning.

The Archbishop's office in Bogota has warned all parishes that Easter presents of food and drink should not be touched.

Police believe that satanic sects are behind these attacks and are waging a murder campaign against the Roman Catholic church.

Devil worship on the increase

Monsignor Hernando Rojas, bishop of the city of Neiva, said satanists consider Easter to be the devil's birthday and killing priests may be their way of celebrating the occasion.

He said cults are spreading fast and that several young people have come to him recently for help to escape from the devil worship cults that have been growing rapidly in Colombia for at least five years.

He warned that they appear to recruit rebellious teenagers and that sex, drugs and violence are prominent in their activities.