Lebanon warned about plot to kill pope

May 13, 1997
Web posted at: 2:07 p.m. EDT (1807 GMT)

BEIRUT, Lebanon (CNN) -- The Lebanese government Tuesday confirmed press reports that it was warned about a plan to assassinate Pope John Paul II with a rocket attack during his visit to Beirut last weekend.

"All security and military organs took the necessary measures to prevent any criminal act from occurring," said a government statement. The statement followed reports in the Beirut press that an unidentified group planned to blow up the Pope's plane with surface-to-air missiles.

Beirut's Interpol bureau was tipped off by Italian Interpol that a Palestinian group had bought about two dozen rockets, including some surface-to-air missiles from a Chinese gang, to carry out the plan, an-Nahar newspaper quoted official sources as saying.

Reuters contributed to this report.

 

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