Indonesian authorities have uncovered and thwarted a terror plot targeting Pope Francis during his visit to the country, arresting seven suspects allegedly inspired by ISIS. The foiled plan was aimed at the Pope’s current 12-day tour of the Asia Pacific region.
The arrests took place on September 2 and 3, following tip-offs from concerned citizens. During a raid on one of the alleged militant’s houses, police discovered bow and arrows, a drone, and ISIS leaflets, according to The Straits Times.
Colonel Aswin Siregar, spokesperson for Indonesia’s counter-terrorism unit “Densus 88,” stated that threats were aired on social media. “We have a mechanism to monitor and filter. We had tip-off information from members of the public,” Siregar said. He added that the suspects had made “threats in the form of propaganda or terror threats via social media in response to the Pope’s arrival.”
The alleged terrorists were reportedly angered by the Pope’s visit to a Jakarta mosque and by requests for Indonesian TV stations not to broadcast the usual Islamic call to prayer during coverage of the papal visit.
The suspects, identified only by their initials HFP, LB, DF, FA, HS, ER, and RS, are still under investigation to determine if they were linked to one another.
Pope Francis, 87, who uses a wheelchair due to recent health issues, is visiting Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor, and Singapore during his tour. Speaking at the presidential palace in Jakarta earlier this week, he condemned religious extremism, stating, “There are times when faith can be manipulated to foment divisions and increase hatred.”
Indonesia, home to the world’s largest Muslim population, has a history of dealing with terrorism, including the 2002 Bali bombings and 2009 Jakarta hotel attacks. This incident underscores the ongoing security challenges in the region, particularly concerning high-profile international visitors.
Source: the-sun.com
