Indonesia arrests seven suspects over failed plot to attack Pope Francis
Indonesian police have arrested seven individuals connected to a failed plot targeting Pope Francis during his visit. The arrests were made in Jakarta and surrounding cities like Bogor and Bekasi, along with the provinces of West Sumatra and Bangka Belitung Islands. Indonesia’s anti-terror squad, Detachment-88, launched the operation following a public tip-off.
The suspects, believed to be linked to ISIS, were reportedly angered by the Pope’s visit to Jakarta’s Istiqlal Mosque. During raids, authorities recovered items like bows and arrows, a drone, and ISIS propaganda leaflets. One of the suspects has ties to a 2019 attack on Indonesia’s former security minister.
The investigation is ongoing, with authorities yet to determine whether the detainees belong to the same terror cell.