Father Abou Kasm Says 'All Security Agencies on Alert' ahead of Pope Visit
Security forces have been placed on alert ahead of Pope Benedict XVI's visit to Lebanon, the visit's coordinator said on Wednesday.
"All Lebanese security organizations are on a state of alert poised to protect His Holiness the Pope," who will travel to Lebanon September 14-16, said Father Abdo Abou Kasm.
Referring to what he said was close coordination between Lebanese authorities and the Vatican, he said security had been reinforced and that "all eventualities had been considered... so that this visit will be crowned with success."
But last month, a Jesuit priest who was recently forced to leave Syria for supporting the uprising against President Bashar Assad, warned that the pope's safety could be at risk.
The pope "must ask for help from a secret service that can guarantee his security, because the Lebanese services are not sufficient in this situation," Father Paolo Dall'Oglio warned.
Dall'Oglio, who was kicked out of Syria in June, added that Lebanon is fraught with risk because the current government "is in some ways still tied to the Syrian regime."
The pope's movements will be restricted to the capital Beirut and to nearby areas that are primarily Christian in the multi-confessional country.
Addressing the tensions in the country, Abou Kasm said the "fears surrounding the visit are out of place.
"All the communities welcome the pope's visit, both Muslim and Christian."
The 85-year-old German pontiff is set to meet with various religious leaders and emphasize in particular the need for peaceful coexistence between Christian and Muslim communities in the Middle East.
Source: Agence France Presse
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