JUST IN: UK Intelligence Foils Assassination Plot Against Pope Francis In Iraq

Pope Francis Reveals How British Intelligence Foiled a Deadly Suicide Bomb Plot Targeting His Historic Visit to Iraq

A plot to assassinate Pope Francis during his historic visit to Iraq in March 2021 was thwarted thanks to a tip-off from British intelligence, according to excerpts from his upcoming autobiography, Hope.

The Pope revealed that he was informed of the threat shortly after landing in Baghdad. Security officials told him that two suicide bombers had targeted an event he was scheduled to attend. Both attackers were intercepted and killed before they could carry out their plan, as detailed in excerpts published by Corriere della Sera.

A Trip Marked by Danger

Pope Francis’s three-day visit to Iraq marked the first by any pope to the war-torn nation. Undertaken amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the trip required an extensive security operation. Iraq had experienced years of sectarian violence, including clashes between Shia and Sunni Muslims and the persecution of religious minorities like Christians.

Despite warnings from nearly everyone around him, the Pope insisted on making the journey.

“Almost everyone advised me against it, but I felt I had to do it,” he writes.

British Tip-Off Saves Lives

The Pope credits British intelligence with uncovering the plot, which was relayed to Iraqi authorities and eventually shared with his security team.

“A woman packed with explosives and a young suicide bomber were heading to Mosul to target the papal visit,” the Pope wrote. Additionally, “a van had set off at great speed with the same intention.”

When he inquired about the attackers’ fate, a security official told him bluntly, “They are no more.” Iraqi police reportedly intercepted the bombers and neutralized the threat.

A Memoir of Hope

The Pope’s autobiography, Hope, is set to be released on January 14. The Vatican has not yet commented on the revelations.

This gripping account underscores the challenges and risks faced during the pontiff’s mission to promote peace and solidarity in one of the world’s most volatile regions.