Singapore steps up checks at immigration points ahead of Pope's visit

Singapore: Singapore has stepped up checks at immigration entry points from Monday, citing a "heightened security situation" in the region ahead of Pope Francis' visit to the city-state.

Travellers arriving at land, air and sea checkpoints will undergo "enhanced security checks" and should factor in extra time for immigration clearance, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said in a Facebook post on Sunday.

“In view of the heightened security situation in the region, ICA will be implementing enhanced security checks on arriving travellers and conveyances at the land, air and sea checkpoints from September 9 to 14, 2024,” said the post.

Though the ICA has not given any reason for the heightened security situation in the region, some media reports suggest it could be related to Pope Francis' visit to the city-state from September 11-13.

Pope Francis will visit Singapore this week for the final leg of his Asia Pacific tour. He is currently halfway through his 12-day trip, the longest and farthest of his tenure so far.

Last week, Indonesian police arrested seven people for allegedly making "terror threats" online against the 87-year-old Catholic leader.

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

Singapore is the closest island city-state to the Indonesian archipelago, with a number of hourly ferry services.

On Sunday, Pope Francis led an open-air mass for an estimated 35,000 people in Papua New Guinea, according to Channel News Asia.

His next stop is the Catholic-majority Timor Leste before heading to Singapore for two days later in the week.