In excerpts from his upcoming autobiography, Hope, Pope Francis reveals that a plot to assassinate him during his March 2021 visit to Iraq was thwarted, thanks to a tip-off from British intelligence.
Upon arriving in Baghdad, the Pope was informed that two suicide bombers had targeted an event at which he was set to appear. The attackers were intercepted and killed by Iraqi authorities, who had been alerted by British intelligence and subsequently passed the information to the Pope’s security detail.
The visit, which marked the first-ever papal trip to Iraq, took place amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and heightened security due to the country’s history of sectarian violence and religious persecution.
In the autobiography, Pope Francis recalls the warnings he received before the trip, with almost everyone advising against it. Despite the risks, he felt compelled to make the journey.
He describes the would-be attackers: a woman packed with explosives and a young suicide bomber, both heading toward Mosul to carry out their plans.
The Pope also recounts asking a security official the day after the plot was foiled what happened to the attackers. The official’s response was blunt: “They are no more,” referring to the attackers being intercepted and killed by Iraqi police.
The book, set to be released on January 14, details this and other significant moments in the Pope’s life and ministry.
