Pope Francis Reveals Two Assassination Attempts by British Intelligence During March 2021 Iraq Visit in Autobiography 'Hope' Set for January 2024

Dec 17, 2024, 02:38 PM

Pope Francis has disclosed in his upcoming autobiography, titled 'Hope', that he narrowly escaped two assassination attempts during his historic visit to Iraq in March 2021. The pontiff revealed that British intelligence had alerted local authorities about the threats, which included a woman carrying explosives and a speeding van intended for an attack. The police successfully thwarted these plots before they could be executed. This visit marked the first by a Catholic pope to Iraq and was considered one of the most perilous trips of his papacy. The autobiography is set to be published in January 2024, with excerpts already generating significant media attention.