Reports indicate that the Mechelen-Brussels archdiocese may consider taking legal action over the recent raid on church property which was conducted in the wake of abuse allegations. During the police search, bishops were detained for nine hours, confidential records were confiscated, phones were surrendered, and tombs were violated. The detention of the bishops reportedly also gave some the impression that the bishops were suspects. A diocesan spokesman has said that "we cannot exclude that there might be legal action if necessary" over the raids which "tarnished" the image of the Church in Belgium. Cardinal Bertone lamented the actions as "serious and unbelievable", claiming that "There are no precedents, not even in Communist regimes."
An earlier statement noted that "...the Secretary of State reiterates its firm condemnation of all sinful and criminal acts of abuse of minors by members of the Church, and the need to repair and face such acts in accordance with the requirements of justice and the teachings of the Gospel. It is in the light of these needs that the same Secretary of State also expresses great surprise at how some searches were conducted yesterday by the Belgian judicial authorities and its indignation at the fact that the tombs of Cardinals Jozef-Ernest Van Roey and Léon-Joseph Suenens, deceased archbishops of Malines-Brussels, were violated. Added to the dismay over those actions, is regret for some breaches of confidentiality, owed to those very victims for whom the searches were conducted."
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