Pope Francis narrowly survived two assassination attempts during his groundbreaking visit to Iraq in March 2021, as revealed in excerpts from his upcoming autobiography published on Tuesday by Italian media.
The pontiff detailed how his Vatican security team was alerted by British intelligence services about the imminent threats, according to his account.
Read Also: Trump Does Not Have Presidential Immunity Protections In Hush Money Conviction – Judge Rules
“A woman packed with explosives, a young suicide bomber, was heading towards Mosul to blow herself up during the papal visit,” he wrote in “Hope”, which goes on sale in over 80 countries in January.
“And a van had also set off at great speed with the same intention,” he added, according to excerpts from the book published by the Italian daily Corriere della Sera daily.
The two attackers were intercepted and killed by the Iraqi police.
Francis, who turned 88 on Tuesday, wrote that “almost everyone advised me against” the trip to Iraq “but I wanted to get to the bottom of things. I felt I had to do it”.
Read Also: Senior Russian Military Official Killed In Moscow Blast
The historic three-day visit in March 2021 occurred under stringent security measures. It marked Pope Francis’s first international trip in 15 months, happening amidst the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
Despite the significant risks to his personal safety, the Argentine pope traveled extensively across the country, visiting Baghdad and Mosul, once a stronghold of the Islamic State group.
During his overseas trips, the pope’s security is managed by the Pontifical Swiss Guard and the Vatican Gendarmerie, in coordination with local law enforcement agencies.
For More Information And News Update, Join Informant Online WhatsApp Channel With Link Below:
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaihFajBadmT29ufud2Z
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaihFajBadmT29ufud2Z
