The U.S. authorities warned Turkish officials about growing anti-Christian sentiments prior to killing of catholic priest Andrea Santoro and assassination of Hrant Dink, reads one of the WikiLeaks disclosed cables published by Turkish Taraf newspaper.

The document says U.S. authorities demanded changes in a March 11, 2005 statement issued by the Department of Religious Affairs which incited anti-Christian sentiments.

“In a letter sent to Washington on March 16, 2005 American diplomat John Kunstadter noted that Turkish imams spread information against Christian missionaries,” Taraf writes.

In 2006, catholic priest Andrea Santoro was murdered in the Santa Maria Church in the city of Trabzon. Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink was assassinated near the editorial office of the Agos newspaper, January 19, 2007 by Turkish ultranationalist Ogun Samast.