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Italian media report that a Turkish citizen has been arrested and imprisoned in Italy in connection with a possible assassination plot in 2024 targeting former Pope Francis.
According to a report in the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, the 46-year-old suspect was detained in the Netherlands by Interpol and subsequently extradited to Italy.
After being held in custody in Milan for several days, the suspect was later arrested and transferred to prison in Trieste. According to the newspaper, the Turkish citizen suspect, Hasan Uzun, is being held in a single cell.
The media reports that Hasan Uzun has been unable to communicate with anyone in prison due to his lack of English proficiency. Prosecutors plan to gather more details about the incident with the help of a Turkish interpreter, who will relay Uzun’s testimony to the authorities.
Before the Pope’s planned visit to Trieste in July 2024, a suitcase containing an automatic handgun, a 9mm Luger, and ammunition had been found.
Reports claim that the assassination plot may have been orchestrated by a Türkiye-based group linked to the terrorist organisation DAESH.
The day after the incident, Pope Francis presided over an outdoor mass in the main square of the northeastern port city of Trieste. During his stay in the city, the Catholic leader mingled with the public in an open electric vehicle. Following the discovery, Italian police launched an extensive investigation and had been considering the possibility of an assassination plot for over a year.
Pope Francis, who had long suffered from health problems, passed away at the Vatican on April 21, 2025, at the age of 88.
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