How UK, Iraq foiled Pope Francis’ assassination

Catholic pontiff Pope Francis says he narrowly escaped a double suicide bombing during his visit to Iraq in March 2021.

The assassination attempt, he said, was foiled by British intelligence and Iraqi police.

Two bombs were to set off as soon as Francis arrived in Baghdad, the Iraqi capital.

Francis made the disclosure in his forthcoming autobiography, Spera (Hope).

Excerpts of the books were published on Tuesday.

The Pope was advised making the trip due to the high security risk and the COVID-19 pandemic at the time.

The visit was the first to be made by a pope. Francis met with Iraqi leaders, visited holy sites, and held masses, including one in Mosul, a city devastated by Islamic State militants.

The visit was seen as a significant step towards promoting interfaith dialogue and reconciliation in a country that has faced years of conflict and sectarian violence.

One of the highlights of the trip was the Pope’s meeting with Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, a prominent Shia cleric, in Najaf, where they discussed the importance of peaceful coexistence and respect for human rights.

In Baghdad, the Pope met with Iraqi President Barham Salih and other government officials, where they discussed the country’s efforts to rebuild and recover from years of conflict.

The Pope also visited the Our Lady of Salvation Church in Baghdad, which was the site of a deadly attack in 2010 that killed over 50 people.

In Qaraqosh, the Pope visited the Church of the Immaculate Conception, which was destroyed by ISIS militants in 2014.

The Pope prayed for the victims of the conflict and called for peace and reconciliation.

In Mosul, the Pope visited the ruins of the city’s historic churches and mosques, and called for the rebuilding of the city and the restoration of its cultural heritage.

Throughout his visit, the Pope emphasized the importance of interfaith dialogue and cooperation, and called for an end to violence and extremism.

He also met with Christian communities who have been affected by the conflict, and offered them words of encouragement and support.

According to the book, one of the suspected suicide bombers was a woman; a truck was also heading there fast with the same intention”.

In the book which is to be published in January 2025 claimed Francis later asked Vatican security what had become of the suicide bombers.

“The commander replied laconically: ‘They’re no longer here,’” Francis wrote. “Iraqi police had intercepted them and made them explode. This struck me as well: Even this is the poisonous fruit of war.”

Francis persevered with the three-day trip to six Iraqi cities, describing it as “a pilgrim of peace”.

Between 2014 and 2017, the Islamic State’s reign of terror resulted in the brutal killings of thousands of Christians in northern regions, with hundreds of thousands more forced to flee their homes due to relentless violence and persecution.

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