Pope Francis Targeted by Islamic State Terrorists in Jakarta

Indonesian authorities have foiled a plot by the Islamic State to assassinate Pope Francis during his visit to Jakarta. Seven IS terrorists were arrested in connection with the planned attack.

Recent months have seen an uptick in Islamic State activities in Jakarta, prompting the anti-terrorist squad to conduct raids on the homes and hideouts of suspected terrorists. The searches yielded a cache of deadly weapons, including guns and sophisticated drones.

According to police, the seven suspects were apprehended on September 2 and 3 in the Jakarta areas of Bagore and Beksai. Interrogations revealed that the group had planned to target the Pope during his visit to the Istiqwal Mosque.

The Pope’s scheduled visit to the mosque had been announced earlier, reportedly angering the terrorists and prompting them to hatch the assassination plot. The incident serves as a reminder of the ongoing threat posed by extremist groups in the region.