Seven arrested in Indonesia over plot to assassinate Pope Francis
Indonesian police have arrested seven people accused of plotting to assassinate Pope Francis in the country.
According to Reuters, the Indonesian National Police's counter-terrorism unit has arrested people suspected of plotting to assassinate Pope Francis since September 2 in the cities of Bogor and Besaki in West Sumatra province and the province of Bangka Belitung Islands.
The individuals had posted statements and images online threatening to bomb Pope Francis' public meetings in Jakarta. A spokesman for the Counter-Terrorism Unit said: "Investigations into the plot to assassinate Pope Francis are ongoing and it is not yet clear whether the seven detainees were connected to each other or were linked to a terrorist group."
"In the investigation conducted at the home of one of the suspects in the plot to assassinate Pope Francis, a drone, newsletters related to ISIS, and bows and arrows were discovered, indicating that some of the arrested individuals had pledged allegiance to ISIS."
The Indonesian special forces spokesman also added: "The militias were upset by Pope Francis' visit to the Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta, the largest mosque in Southeast Asia. They were also angry at the Indonesian government's request to temporarily stop broadcasting the call to prayer on television during the live broadcast of Pope Francis' visit."
It is worth noting that Pope Francis chaired an interfaith meeting at the Istiqlal Mosque, which was attended by leaders of Indonesia's six official religions: Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Confucianism.
