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	Gozitan Priest Denies Second Molestation Claim MaltaMedia News October 27, 2006 http://www.maltamedia.com/news/2005/ln/article_12091.shtml Through his lawyer, Gozitan Priest Fr. Anthony Mercieca has denied fresh molestation allegations set forward by a former altar boy identified as John Doe No. 26. The man alleged that that abuse took place in the 1970s when he was 12 years old. The Gozitan priest admitted last week to have had an "intimate relationship" with former United States Republican Congressman Mark Foley in the 1960s. However, the priest, speaking through his lawyer in a statement, denied the allegation made by John Doe No. 26, describing it "at best as a figment of the imagination and at worst a malicious fabrication." According to the Associated Press, the statement further read that "Father Anthony Mercieca believes that nothing that happened between him and Mark Foley, some 40 years ago, could provide solid grounds for legal action against him," adding that "He therefore considers the aggressive and unfavorable exposure as being unfair and unjustified." Attorney Jeffrey Herman, appearing for John Doe No. 26, said he planned to file a lawsuit will against the Archdiocese of Miami with regards to the abuse claim. His client, now 40 says Fr. Mercieca abused him when he was an altar boy at St. James Catholic Church. The Associated Press reported the Attorney saying that "He had been thinking about it before Foley came forward, and then when Foley came out and the church encouraged other victims to come forward, he decided to come forward." 69-year-old Fr. Mercieca, now lives in Gozo. Last week he allegedly told the Sarasota Herald-Tribune that he had series of encounters with Mark Foley that the Congressman might have perceived as sexually inappropriate. However, speaking to the Associated Press the following day, he said that the Sarasota Herald-Tribune "wrote many things that I didn't say". Fr. Anthony Mercieca has so far denied that the relationship between him and Mark Foley was of a sexual nature, saying that they shared brotherly love. Mark Foley resigned from the US Congress last month after a number of suggestive e-mails to young male pages were uncovered. The former Congressman from Florida said soon after his resignation that he had been molested as a boy by a "clergyman". Fr. Mercieca is being investigated by the Diocese of Gozo as well as by the Archdiocese of Miami. See also: • Second Man Alleges to Have Been Abused by Priest
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