Were they REALLY afraid of something?

At first glance, this story looks pretty laughable.

Police in Russia have arrested a man who was trying to kill a religious leader by using mental force.

Man on trial for trying to kill Russian church head with mental force

Russian police have passed to court a criminal case against a man who was reportedly trying to kill Patriarch Kirill – the head of the Russian Orthodox Church – with a collective mental attack by a group of followers.

The 42-year old man, who already possesses an extensive criminal record, has been charged with instigating hatred or hostility, as well as humiliation of human dignity, Gazeta.ru internet newspaper reported on Friday, quoting a source in the Nizhny Novgorod territorial directorate of the Russian Interior Ministry.

The calls that the man posted on the social network were only instructions to kill the Patriarch with mental force. During a police interrogation, the suspect called himself the leader of the Pluto occult group. He said that his group had regularly gathered in an apartment and together wished Patriarch Kirill harm. Sometimes they also watched television together, seeking proof that their efforts had yielded results.

Read more: RT

I got a good chuckle out of the story when I first read it. Then I got to thinking...


Russia and the US are rumored to have sponsored programs into psychic research for uses such as espionage and other creepy stuff.

I was just thinking, with Russia's experience with occult research, do they know something which made them take this threat seriously?

It could all be some loonies with overactive imaginations being persecuted by overzealous law enforcement but, I have to wonder if there isn't something more to this story. I wonder if the target of their assault experienced something for the authorities to take this seriously?

[edit on 6/26/10 by FortAnthem]

A few flags and no replies.


I was hoping someone with some inside knowledge on Russian paranormal experiments would be able contribute to this thread.


Suprised I didn't even get a reference to The Men Who Stare at Goats.