From the London Guardian:
Pope Francis has said he escaped a double suicide bombing during a visit to Iraq three years ago after the attempts on his life were foiled by British intelligence and Iraqi police.
Francis made the revelation in his upcoming autobiography, Spera (Hope), excerpts of which were shared with Corriere della Sera on Tuesday, the Pontiff’s 88th birthday. Francis said he had been strongly advised against making the trip to Iraq in March 2021, the first by a Pope, because Covid was still raging and the security risks were high, especially in Mosul, the northern city devastated by Islamic State militants. In his recounting of events, British intelligence informed Iraqi police of the planned bombings as soon as Francis arrived in Baghdad. In turn, the Iraqi police informed the Vatican’s security detail.