By Nakiwala Barbra
A plot to assassinate Pope Francis during his historic visit to Iraq in March 2021 was thwarted after a tip-off from British intelligence, the pontiff reveals in his forthcoming autobiography, Hope.
The Pope landed in Baghdad amid tight security, where he was informed of a plan involving two suicide bombers targeting an event on his itinerary.
According to excerpts published by Corriere della Sera, the attackers—a woman with explosives and a van loaded for an attack—were intercepted and killed by Iraqi police, following the British warning. The Pope, undeterred by the threat, continued with his three-day visit, which aimed to foster peace in a nation scarred by sectarian violence and persecution of minorities.
The Pope acknowledged that many had advised him against the trip, but he felt compelled to go. “I had to do it,” he wrote, despite Iraq’s volatile security situation, including threats from the Islamic State group.
This visit marked the first by a pope to Iraq, with stops in cities like Mosul, where Christians have faced relentless attacks. The book, Hope, is set for release on 14 January, detailing this and other pivotal moments from Pope Francis’ tenure.
