A plot to assassinate Pope Francis during his historic 2021 visit to Iraq was thwarted thanks to a tip-off from British intelligence, according to the Pope’s upcoming autobiography. The details were shared in excerpts published by the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.
In his autobiography, Hope, Pope Francis recounts how, upon landing in Baghdad in March 2021, he was informed of a planned attack targeting an event he was set to attend. The plot involved two suicide bombers who were intercepted and killed by Iraqi security forces.
The papal visit, which took place amid the COVID-19 pandemic, was the first ever to Iraq by a pope. The visit occurred during a time of heightened sectarian violence in the country, including conflict between Shia and Sunni Muslims, as well as the persecution of religious minorities. Iraq’s Christian population had dramatically diminished, largely due to attacks from the Islamic State (ISIS) and other extremist groups.
Despite warnings from almost all sides, Pope Francis felt compelled to proceed with the visit. He describes in his autobiography how British intelligence uncovered the assassination plot and alerted Iraqi police, who then notified his security detail.
According to the Pope, one of the attackers was a woman packed with explosives, while the other was a young suicide bomber. Both were reportedly headed to Mosul with the intent to carry out their deadly mission. A van carrying another suicide bomber also set off with the same objective.
The Pope recalls asking a security official the next day about the fate of the attackers. The official simply replied, “They are no more,” indicating that the Iraqi police had successfully intercepted and neutralized the threat.
The autobiography, set to be released on January 14, 2024, provides further details on this harrowing episode. However, the Vatican has not yet commented on the contents of the book.
This revelation highlights the continued challenges of security in Iraq, a country struggling with the aftermath of years of violence, and underscores the significant role of international intelligence in preventing potential threats to world leaders.
