Indonesia arrests seven people for ‘terrorist threats’ against Pope Francis

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Indonesia arrested seven people this week for making online “terrorist threats” against Pope Francis as he visited the world's most populous Muslim country, police said on Friday.

The 87-year-old pope made Southeast Asia's largest economy the first stop on his arduous Asia-Pacific tour, delivering a message of religious unity in the fight against extremism and intolerance.

The suspects were arrested in cities around the capital Jakarta and in the provinces of West Sumatra and Bangka-Belitung, Aswin Siregar, spokesman for Indonesia's elite anti-terror unit Densus 88, told reporters.

They are accused of publishing statements and images on the Internet threatening to bomb public meetings of the Pope in Jakarta.

“Densus 88 has initiated legal action against seven individuals … who made threats in the form of propaganda or terrorist threats through social media in response to the Pope's arrival,” Aswin told reporters.

“There were also threats to set the places on fire,” he added.

His program included visits to the largest mosque in Southeast Asia, the Jakarta Cathedral, the presidential palace and the national football stadium.

Authorities did not disclose the suspects' religious beliefs, but Indonesia has long struggled with Islamist extremists.

The bombings on the holiday island of Bali in 2002 killed 202 people. They were the deadliest attacks in the country's history.

Security measures have been increased for the Pope's visit; roads around important places he is due to visit have been diverted or closed.

A security force of around 4,000 people, including snipers, soldiers, police officers and his security team, protected him before he left for the rest of his journey to Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Singapore.