Vatican speaks out against “Jihadists target Pope Francis” report

On Monday, August 25, 2014 Italy's Il Tempo newspaper reported that the Pope Francis is a target of Islamic State jihadists (ISIS). The paper had cited an unnamed Italian intelligence source, saying that ISIS considers Pope Francis the "bearer of false truths" and that the group plans to attack Italy and greater Europe.

But the Vatican has dismissed the report describing the threat as unfounded.

In the words of Vatican spokesman, Rev. Federico Lombardi S.J. who spoke to Catholic News Agency, “There is nothing serious to this. There is no particular concern in the Vatican. This news has no foundation."

Huffington Post reports that ISIS leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who is leading the group in its offense to take over large regions of Iraq and Syria in an effort to establish its own Islamic State, had in the beginning of this year’s Ramadan, threatened Rome.

He had said in an online audio message: "Rush O Muslims to your state. It is your state. Syria is not for Syrians and Iraq is not for Iraqis. The land is for the Muslims, all Muslims. This is my advice to you. If you hold to it you will conquer Rome and own the world, if Allah wills."

And earlier this month, ISIS took control of Iraq's largest Christian city, killing Christians and non Muslims including the Yazidis who occupy large portions of northern Iraq. Pope Francis then had called for international assistance and protection for Christians and non Muslims in the region.

Pope Francis has not endorsed American airstrikes against the group, but CNN reports him as saying during a press conference last week: "I can only say this: It is licit to stop the unjust aggressor. I underline the verb: stop. I do not say bomb, make war, I say stop by some means.

He added: “It is there that this should be discussed. Is there an unjust aggressor? It would seem there is. How do we stop him?"

Read more: "Jihadists displace over 200,000 Christians in Iraq, Pope Francis wades in" here