Lebanese Papers Report Plot To Kill Pope

Terrorists planned to assassinate Pope John Paul II with rockets during his visit to Lebanon last weekend, two Lebanese newspapers said Tuesday.

The leading daily An-Nahar and the Ad-Diyar attributed their reports to unidentified “official sources” but said they had come from the Italian branch of Interpol, the international police agency. The reports didn’t say how the alleged plot was foiled.

The Interior Ministry said Tuesday that the Interpol office in Beirut received reports from Interpol offices in Europe claiming some groups were preparing to kill the pope.

The statement did not give details but said the reports were received a day before the visit. It said, “All necessary security and military arrangements were taken to foil any such attempts.”

The attackers had acquired 23 Chinese-made rockets from Chinese gangsters and hoped to use shoulder-fired, anti-aircraft rockets against the pope’s plane or helicopters he used in Lebanon, the newspapers said.