Security officials preparing for Pope Francis' first ever visit to the U.S. have stressed that there is no specific, credible threat against the pontiff — but for the second time in two years an ISIS propaganda magazine has singled him out for scorn, NBC News reported.
Dabiq is an English-language magazine aimed at U.S., British and Australian Muslims in the vein of Inspire, a magazine for jihadists put out by al Qaeda.
The latest issue of Dabiq, published last week, includes an image of the pope meeting with the Grand Mufti of Istanbul, Rahmi Yaran, at Turkey's Blue Mosque last year. Neither is identified in a caption that reads: "Apostate government 'scholars' with the crusader pope."
Laith al-Khouri, an analyst with Flashpoint Intelligence, said he believes the image is meant to send a message that "real Muslim imams" don't cozy up to Christian icons. Francis has denounced ISIS in the past.
