Pope Francis Reveals Foiled Assassination Plot During Iraq Visit

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

The Pope writes that after landing in Baghdad in March 2021, he was informed that two suicide bombers were planning to target an event he was scheduled to attend. Both attackers were intercepted and killed, he notes in excerpts published by the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.

The three-day visit, conducted during the coronavirus pandemic, marked the first-ever papal trip to Iraq and involved heightened security measures. Iraq had experienced years of sectarian violence, including clashes between Shia and Sunni Muslims and the persecution of religious minorities. The Christian population in the country had significantly declined due to attacks from groups like the Islamic State and other extremists.

In the book, the Pope recalls that “almost everyone advised me against” making the trip but felt it was necessary. British intelligence uncovered the assassination plot and warned Iraqi authorities, who alerted his security team after his arrival.

“A woman packed with explosives, a young suicide bomber, was heading toward Mosul to blow herself up during the visit,” the Pope writes. “A van had also set off at great speed with the same intention.”

The following day, when he inquired about the fate of the attackers, he was told by a security official: “They are no more.” The attackers had been intercepted and killed by Iraqi police.

The autobiography, titled Hope, is set for release on January 14. The Vatican has not commented on the revelations, according to Reuters.