Excerpts from the Pope’s upcoming autobiography detail the moment Vatican security officials were informed he was the target of a suspected double assassination attempt
British spooks foiled an assassination plot against Pope Francis after providing a major tipoff to Vatican officials, according to his upcoming autobiography.
The 266th leader of the Catholic Church escaped a double suicide bombing after landing in Iraq two years ago, with the dual attempts on his life halted thanks to UK officials. British intelligence and Iraqi police cooperated to take down the plotters, according to an excerpt from Hope, his upcoming autobiography set for release in 2025.
The extracts, published in Italian Corriere della Sera on Tuesday, document Pope Francis’ trip to Iraq, which came following years of sectarian violence. He was told an event he planned to attend was being targeted by the would-be suicide bombers, who were captured and killed before they had a chance to enact their plans.
The Pope said he was warned against making the key visit to the nation, which was, and still is, home to a shrinking Christian community. While officially defeated, the Islamic State also maintains a presence in the nation, having claimed responsibility for hundreds of regional attacks in the 2020s.
Francis said “almost everyone advised me against” the major visit in excerpts of his book, but he adds that he felt he “had to do it”. The bomb plot was uncovered by British intelligence, who sent a warning to Iraqi police officials, and they, in turn, sent the warning onwards to his security detail.
The Pope said his security was informed as his plane touched down in the Muslim-majority nation that a woman “packed with explosives” and a van were speeding towards the northern Iraqi city of Mosul. He wrote: “A woman packed with explosives, a young suicide bomber, was heading towards Mosul to blow herself up during the papal visit.
“And a van had also set off at great speed with the same intention.” After being informed about the attack, the Pope added that he quizzed security officials on the fate of the plotters. He continued: “The [official] replied laconically: ‘They are no more’. The Iraqi police had intercepted them and blown them up.”
