Gay rights group reports priest after 'flamethrower' remark

(ANSA) - Oristano, July 10 - A gay rights group in Sardinia reported a parish priest to the police for incitement to murder on Friday after he suggested on Facebook that flamethrowers be used against homosexuals.
    Father Silvio Foddis, the parish priest in Arborea, central Sardinia, wrote underneath a photograph of two gay men: "A flamethrower to reignite what is almost extinguished?" The photo appeared on the Facebook page of an Arborea councillor.
    When a girl commented his words were perhaps out of place for a priest, Foddis replied "he could go even further...we don't have to endure all the crap of this world".
    In response, the Sardinian Homosexual Movement (MOS) said "the words were against the law of man and against the law of God".
    "He is not just a simple citizen but a priest who, unfortunately, has an educational role to play in society." The group said they had reported the priest to police and made a complaint for incitement to murder.
    Barbara Tetti, the movement's president, said the priest's comments were "a serious act of incitement to hatred and murderous violence".
    In a statement published on the home page of the website of the Diocese, it said that the archbishop had spoken to the pastor and "is satisfied" that his "was a knee-jerk reaction to a hig-impact picture that was in fact in support of nudism." It said the archbishop "wanted to take this opportunity to urge priests and the faithful to have the greatest respect for everyone and, at the same time, pay attention to what is said and\or written on social media to avoid hurting feelings or damaging people's dignity."