Sawt Falasteen - Indonesia arrests seven over Pope Francis 'terror threats'

The 87-year-old pontiff made Southeast Asia's biggest economy the first stop of an arduous Asia-Pacific tour, delivering a message of religious unity to counter extremism and intolerance.

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

They are accused of posting statements and images online that threatened bomb attacks on the pope's public meetings in Jakarta.

"Densus 88 has taken legal action against seven individuals... who made threats in the form of propaganda or terror threats via social media in response to the pope's arrival," Aswin told reporters.

"There was also a threat to set fire to the locations," he added.

His schedule included visits to Southeast Asia's biggest mosque, Jakarta's cathedral, the presidential palace and the national football stadium.

The beliefs of the suspects were not disclosed by authorities but Indonesia has long struggled with Islamist militancy.

Bombings on the resort island of Bali in 2002 killed 202 people and were the deadliest attacks in the country's history.

Security has been stepped up for the pope's visit, with roads around key sites where he is scheduled to visit being re-routed or closed.

A security detail of around 4,000 personnel, including snipers, soldiers, police and his security team, protected him before he departed for the rest of his trip in Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Singapore.

Z.AlNajjar--SF-PST