Six men have been arrested by the Metropolitan Police in London, suspected of preparing an attack against Pope Benedict who is on a state visit to Britain.
 
The arrests follow a warning Thursday night from the head of Britain's MI5 security service of a potential threat against the pope.

The five men, between the ages of 26 and 50, have been taken to a central London police station as officers were searching a business in central London and homes in the north and east of the city. None of the men have been charged.

It is not clear whether the investigations relate to a plot against the pope himself or an element of the visit.
 
Vatican spokesman, Rev. Federico Lombardi, says the pope was informed and is not worried and remained calm. Lombardi says the Vatican has complete trust in the British police and does not consider the situation particularly dangerous.

The pope's visit has drawn criticism in the mostly Protestant, highly secular Britain. His trip is also overshadowed by the Catholic Church's clerical abuse scandal, as well as the Vatican's stance on gay rights, abortion and contraception.  

Pope Benedict held a meeting with members of other religions Friday and stressed the need for dialogue and cooperation. He was speaking at Saint Mary's University College in Twickenham. 

The pope said that as followers of different religious traditions working together for the good of the community, great importance is attached to this "side by side" dimension of cooperation, which complements the "face-to-face" aspect of continuing dialogue.

The pope said that in order for dialogue to be fruitful, it requires reciprocity by all those involved.

"I am thinking in particular of situations in some parts of the world, where cooperation and dialogue between religions calls for mutual respect, the freedom to practice one's own religion and to engage in acts of public worship, and the freedom to follow one's conscience without suffering ostracism or persecution, even after conversion from one religion to another," said Pope Benedict.

The pope added that when such respect and openness is established, people of different religions will work together effectively for peace and mutual understanding.

Earlier the pope met with thousands of cheering schoolchildren and students at the Saint Mary's University College's sports field, that has been inaugurated in honor of his predecessor Pope John Paul II and in view of the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Young people cheered, sang and handed gifts to the pope. In an address to them, he urged them to ignore the temptations of the celebrity culture they live in. He said they should not be swayed by wealth and fame.

"Having money makes it possible to be generous and to do good in the world, but on its own it is not enough to make us happy," added Pope Benedict.  "Being highly skilled in some activity or profession is good, but it will not satisfy us unless we aim for something greater still. It might make us famous but it will not make us happy."

The German pope was met by some 125,000 supporters at the start of his visit in Edinburgh, Scotland.  Queen Elizabeth II officially welcomed the pontiff.  This is only the second papal visit to Britain since the Church of England broke away in the 16th century. Pope Benedict is expected to conclude his trip with a beatification mass for 19th century cardinal John Henry Newman.
 
Pope Benedict on Friday defended what he called the legitimate role of religion in the public square. He was addressing an 1,800-strong audience in Westminister Hall. It was the first time a pontiff has come to speak in this venue, where in 1535 the Catholic martyr Saint Thomas More was tried for treason and condemned to death.

Among those present were politicians, businessmen, cultural leaders and four former British prime ministers: Margaret Thatcher, John Major, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. 

In his address, the pope praised Britain as a pluralist society, which places great value on freedom of speech, freedom of political affiliation and the respect for the rule of law. But he expressed concern at the increasing marginalization of society even in nations, which place a great emphasis on tolerance. 

"There are those that advocate that the voice of religion be silenced, or at least relegated to the purely private sphere," Pope Benedict said. "There are those who argue that the public celebration of festivals such as Christmas should be discouraged."

There are also those who argue, the pope added, that Christians in public roles should be required at times to act against their conscience. 

"These are worrying signs of a failure to appreciate not only the rights of believers to freedom of conscience and freedom of religion, but also the legitimate role of religion in the public square." 

Pope Benedict urged those present, within their respective spheres of influence, to promote and encourage dialogue between faith and reason. 

Earlier the pope met with the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, the head of the Anglican Communion, at Lambeth Palace. The meeting came amid new tensions following Benedict's unprecedented decision last year to make it easier for Anglicans opposed to the ordination of women bishops to convert to Catholicism.

Benedict said he had no intention of speaking of existing difficulties. Instead, he focused on the need for Christians to work together.

On September 16 2010, it was a very special occasion for the tens of thousands of people attending Pope Benedict's open air mass in Bellahouston Park in Glasgow, Scotland, during the first day of his state visit to Britain.
 
because this man represents what I hope is a message of peace and unity for Christians," said one person in attendance.

Scottish-born pop star Susan Boyle joined an 800-member choir in singing hymns at the mass.  She said singing for the pope was something she has always dreamed about. 

In his homily, the pope spoke to the many young people who turned out for the mass.  He said that many temptations are placed in front of them, like drugs, money, sex, pornography and alcohol.  The world tells you, the pope said, that these will bring happiness, yet these things are destructive and divisive.

Pope Benedict arrived in Britain to start a four-day visit that also will take him to London and Birmingham.  His first meeting was in Edinburgh with Queen Elizabeth II, who gave him a warm welcome.

"Religion has always been a crucial element in national identity and historical self-consciousness," said Queen Elizabeth II.  "This has made the relationship between the different faiths a fundamental factor in the necessary cooperation within and between nation states.  It is therefore vital to encourage greater mutual and respectful understanding."

There remains strong opposition in Britain to Benedict's hard line against homosexuality, abortion and using condoms to prevent the spread of AIDS.  Victims of sexual abuse by the clergy also are demanding that the pope do more to prevent anything like that happening again.

Addressing journalists on the papal plane from Rome, the pope made his most thorough admission to date of church failures to stop pedophile priests.  He acknowledged the Church did not act decisively or quickly enough against them. 

Despite the opposition, a crowd of about 125,000 welcomed the pope in Edinburgh, warmly waving the Vatican flag.  Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said the pope's   visit could not have started any better.

Source: VOANews.com