International

Pakistan link to Karzai plot seen

KABUL: The plot to kill President Hamid Karzai on Sunday was hatched in Pakistan’s tribal areas, Afghanistan’s intelligence chief said on Wednesday.

The accusation came just hours after security forces raided a Kabul hideout of militants with suspected links to the attack on Mr. Karzai; seven persons died in the raid. Intelligence chief Amrullah Saleh said there was no evidence that Pakistan’s government or its intelligence agencies were involved in the attempt.

“We have no evidence whether the operation has had any mercy or go-ahead from the Pakistan government and [its]special agencies,” said Mr. Saleh.

“There [is] very, very strong evidence suggesting that Pakistan’s soil once again has been used to inflict pain on our nation,” he added.

The militants involved in the plot were in contact with people in Pakistan’s Bajaur and North Waziristan tribal areas and Peshawar, he said. In an initial reaction, Pakistan Army spokesman Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas said the allegations appeared “baseless.” “Anybody can say militants [in the tribal areas] have done this or that,” he said, adding: “How can one validate such claims?”

Afghanistan has accused Pakistan of harbouring Taliban leaders, but Pakistan denies the charge. Al-Qaeda and Taliban leaders hide in the volatile border region between the two countries.

Earlier, Afghan security forces launched a predawn raid on Wednesday and traded gunfire with militants for several hours. The troops destroyed the hideout when it was clear the militants would not surrender. Two militants, three intelligence agents, a woman and a child were among those killed, said Mr. Saleh.

One of the dead militants had supplied weapons used to attack Mr. Karzai, added Mr. Saleh.

Wednesday’s raid was part of a wider operation in which six suspects were detained in two other locations in Kabul.

Mr. Saleh told Parliament on Tuesday that the intelligence agency knew about the plot to kill the President, but failed to locate the attackers in time.— AP

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