WASHINGTON
The chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas said Sunday that the U.S. Secret Service has already disrupted a security threat against Pope Francis ahead of his upcoming visit late this month.
MacCaul's comments came during an interview with Martha Raddatz on ABC News.
“The Pope is a very passionate man,” McCaul said. “He likes to get out with the people and with that comes a large security risk.”
He said threats against the pope were being monitored closely. “We have disrupted one particular case in particular, but as that date approaches, I think we’re all being very vigilant to protect him as he comes into the United States.”
The Texas representative declined to give any detail about the security threat and said that the secret service has briefed him about the security measures for the Pope's visit.
The Pope will visit New York on September 24 to attend the 70th U.N. General Assembly meeting. He will also visit Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia.
This is his first visit to the U.S. as the pope.
