Teen Pleads Guilty In Plot To Attack The Pope During 2015 U.S. Visit
A teenager from Lindenwold, New Jersey pleaded guilty on Monday to charges relating to a plot to kill Pope Francis during his visit to Philadelphia for the World Meeting of Families back in 2015.
Santos Colon, 17, reportedly planned to detonate explosives during the Pope's last stop on his six-day trip to the US.. Colon, who was only 15 years old at the time, planned his attack months in advance.
He even made contact with a sniper who was actually an undercover FBI source, according to the Catholic News Agency.
"Colon engaged in target reconnaissance with an FBI confidential source and instructed the source to purchase materials to make explosive devices," the Justice department said in a statement.
The FBI agents arrested Colon just two weeks before the Pope's visit. He pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to provide material support to terrorists and is facing a maximum of 15 years in prison together with a $250,000 fine should he be convicted.
Colon's planned attack was allegedly inspired by the Islamic State, although authorities do not know whether he managed to make contact with the terror group.
Pope Francis has not commented on the supposed attack against him, but young people continue to be a major focus of his papacy.
He recently released a universal prayer intention for the youth and encouraged them to become "the protagonists of change." In the video, which was released on April 4, he said young people must take matters into their own hands and instill a positive change in this world.
"I know that you, young people, don't want to be duped by a false freedom, always at the beck and call of momentary fashions and fads," he said. "I know that you aim high. Is that true, or am I wrong?"
"You, young people, are the ones who hold the future. I ask you to be builders of the world, to work for a better world," he added. "It is a challenge, yes it is, do you accept it? Pray with me that young people may respond generously to their own vocation and mobilise for the great causes of the world."
