A book called Attack on the Pope has made a sudden appearance on certain bookshelves of Turkey in the past few weeks. Subtitled Who will kill Benedict XVI in Istanbul?, the book describes how Pope Benedict XVI might be assassinated during his four-day visit to the country, which begins on Tuesday.

Sales of the book have been modest. Still, its publication is a sign of the suspicious and heated atmosphere surrounding both the man and the visit – the first by Benedict to a Muslim country since remarks he made about Islam and violence inflamed world opinion in September.