Pope Francis Reveals He Was Target Of Suicide Bombing Plot During 2021 Iraq Visit
Pope Francis has revealed that he was the target of a suicide bombing plot during his historic 2021 visit to Iraq, in excerpts from his upcoming autobiography Hope.
Published in the Italian daily Corriere della Sera to mark his 88th birthday, the Pope shared how British intelligence alerted Iraqi authorities to two planned attacks as he arrived in the country.
According to the pontiff, British spies informed Iraqi police that a woman strapped with explosives and a truck with similar intentions were heading toward Mosul, where Francis was scheduled to visit. Both attackers were intercepted and neutralised by Iraqi police before they could carry out their mission.
Reflecting on the incident, Pope Francis recalled asking his security detail what had happened to the bombers. Their reply: “They’re no longer here.” He described the attack as “the poisonous fruit of war.”
Despite the security risks and challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Francis became the first pope to visit Iraq, a region devastated by years of conflict and extremism.
During his trip, he urged Iraqi Christians to forgive past injustices and met with Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, a Shia cleric who pledged peaceful coexistence between Iraq’s religious communities.
Pope Francis’ autobiography, co-written with Italian author Carlo Musso, will be published in January 2025.
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