Rabat- Iraq’s Ambassador to Vatican, Habeeb Al Sadr has reportedly said that the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has plans to assassinate the Pope Francis upon his anticipated visit Albania, a Muslim majority country.
The Iraqi Ambassador, Habeeb Al Sadr reportedly warned the Pope Francis of a possible attempt of assassination by ISIS’s “band of extremists”, ahead of his visit to the Albania, this weekend.
The Iraqi Ambassador said that the terrorist group had spoken of its plan to assassinate the pope as he has voiced support to the U.S.' intervention in Syria and Iraq, according to the Italian newspaper La Nazione, cited in Emirate’s TV channel, Erem News.
“What the ISIS said is clear. They want to assassinate the Pop Francis. The threats against the Pope are credible, “Habeeb Al Sadr said. “ I think they could try to kill him during one of his overseas trips or even in Rome.”
The Ambassador goes on to reveal that the ISIS has foreign members - Canadian, American, French, Britain and even Italians. “The group can instruct this band of criminals to assassinate the pope as the opportunity arises.”
The Vatican, meanwhile, is not beefing up security to protect Francis during his upcoming trip to the majority Muslim country on Sunday.
“There are no apparent reasons to fear for the life of the Pope, nor credible information about the ISIS' plan of assassination,” Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman told the Catholic News Agency.