Gas Attack Plot Foiled Ahead of Pope's Spain Visit
As Spain prepares for the arrival of Pope Benedict on Thursday to celebrate World Youth Day, police have arrested a chemistry student that they believe was plotting a gas attack on anti-pope protestors.
The suspect is a 24-year-old chemistry student from Mexico that has been identified as Jose Perez Bautista. Police arrested the young student Tuesday evening in Madrid.
Police believe that Bautista was planning on using asphyxiating gases and other chemicals to attack protestors. The suspect is set to be seen in court on Thursday.
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Pope Benedict XVI will arrive to Madrid on Thursday for a four-day long trip to Spain for the World Youth Day celebrations, and protestors were planning to rally in downtown Madrid the evening before the pontiff’s arrival.
The protestors are not protesting the pope’s visit, but rather are protesting the usage of taxpayer dollars for the World Youth Day celebration that is estimated to come with a hefty price tag of $72 million.
The pope’s visit comes during a time when Spain is facing an economic crisis of great magnitude.
Spain is Europe’s fourth largest economy, but the Spanish government is saddled with debt and the country's unemployment rate is soaring to nearly 21 percent.
Raquel Mallavibarrena, a spokeswoman or the progressive Catholic group Redes Cristianas told the Associated Press, “At a time of crisis, and with so many people in need, we feel this visit should not be so massive and attention-drawing, so spectacular, but rather something more simple and closer to the grassroots of the church.”
However, protests against the cost of the event are not the only protests going on during the celebration.
Spanish gay and lesbian couples plan on protesting the Catholic Church policies against homosexuality by holding a “kiss-in” for the pope when he arrives to Madrid.
The protest is being organized through several Spanish gay groups via Facebook. However, an exact location for the kiss-in is yet to be decided upon.
World Youth Day is the brainchild of Pope John Paul II. The first World Youth Day was held in 1984 when Pope John Paul II called upon the Christian youth to come to Rome for Palm Sunday. 300,000 people showed up and ever since then World Youth Day celebrations have taken place every three years in different cities with distinctive themes to represent the universality of the Christian faith.
The celebration is open to youth from all countries and of all faiths.
Organizers predict that up to 2 million people will attend the events in Madrid this week and will come from as far away as Vietnam to as close as Italy to pray and celebrate together.
