Pope Francis might be a target of the Islamic State militant group, otherwise known as ISIS, Italy's Il Tempo newspaper reported on Monday. However, the claim has been dismissed by the Vatican.
In an article published Monday, Il Tempo reported that the pope is a target of ISIS, citing an unnamed Italian intelligence source. The pope, who is considered the "bearer of false truths" by the group, is "in the crosshairs of ISIS," stated the report, adding that the extremist group plans to "raise the level of confrontation" by attacking Italy and greater Europe.
However, the Vatican immediately denied the allegations, Huffington Post reported. "There is nothing serious to this," spokesman the Rev. Federico Lombardi S.J. told Catholic News Agency. "There is no particular concern in the Vatican. This news has no foundation."
Earlier this summer, near the start of Ramadan, a threat was issued against Russia by ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who is behind the group's offense to overtake large regions of Iraq and Syria, in an effort to establish its own Islamic State.
"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," he said in an audio recording posted online and reported by the Telegraph. "This is my advice to you. If you hold to it you will conquer Rome and own the world, if Allah wills."
ISIS also took control of Iraq's largest Christian city earlier this month, CNN reported. At the time, the pontiff expressed concern for Christians in the region. While the controversial American airstrikes against the terrorist group in Syria have not been endorsed by Francis, he has said that ISIS must be stopped.
"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 said during a press conference last week, according to CNN, adding "It is there that this should be discussed. Is there an unjust aggressor? It would seem there is. How do we stop him?"
