Pope says failed assassination attempt on him in 2021

Pope Francis in a new book called "Hope" said that in 2021 he was almost killed, but British intelligence "prevented the plot". The Guardian reported this on December 17, citing the text.

"Pope Francis said that three years ago during a visit to Iraq he managed to avoid a suicide attack after attempts on his life were thwarted by British intelligence and Iraqi police," the material reads.

The pontiff, in a yet-to-be-released book titled "Hope," shared that he was advised not to travel to Iraq due to security risks and the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the pope refused to cancel the trip.

The potential threat was reported by British intelligence to Iraqi police immediately after Francis arrived in Baghdad. Local law enforcement agencies are known to have informed the Vatican security service.

According to the pontiff, one of the suicide bombers was a woman traveling to the city of Mosul. She planned to blow herself up during the visit of the Pope.

It is specified that during the visit to protect Francis were involved about 10 thousand Iraqi police officers.

Earlier, November 27, Reuters reported that the Pope said that from December his teachings at the weekly general audience at the Vatican will be translated into Mandarin. Every Wednesday, the pontiff speaks in Italian at audiences, and his teachings are translated and read out in English, French, German, Polish, Spanish, Portuguese and Arabic.