SA man 'tried to stop bloodbath'
2009-11-19 09:10
Johannesburg - The security guard shot dead in Afghanistan by a South African man who is now accused of his murder, apparently had close ties with the Taliban.
He and another five guards allegedly conspired in October to kill all the foreign safety operators in their compound.
One operator said Phil Young had shot the Afghan guard in order to stop the bloodbath.
According to the operator, the dead man's brother was well-known in Taliban ranks. His family lived in a Taliban stronghold on the Pakistani border.
Troublemaker
The guard had apparently been a troublemaker for some time and was about to be fired.
The six guards had apparently been conspiring for some time to kidnap or kill the foreigners on a certain day early in October.
Young and the guards worked for the American company Anham, which is linked to the American government's Counternarcotics Advisory Teams (CNAT), in Lakshar Gah.
The Macedonian guard commander apparently knew of the plot but did nothing to stop it.
"Phil and some of his colleagues returned that day from a mission and when he saw the six in civilian clothes but armed with AK47s, he immediately suspected trouble," said the operator.
"He confronted the men, upon which one aimed a weapon at Phil and fired a shot."
The shot missed Young and in self-defence, he fired three shots at the guard as he apparently realised that the lives of many of his colleagues would be in danger if all six of the men started firing at them.
According to the operator, the central government in Afghanistan had rules and regulations for security guards, which stated that a person could fire back if he was being shot at.
Not formally charged
Since the incident, Young has been held in Kabul, without being formally charged.
According to his brother Pat, who lives in Johannesburg, he was moved to the Afghan government's justice centre in the last week.
"The Red Cross as well as a representative of the British Embassy in Kabul visited him this week. Their feedback was that under the circumstances, he was well. The Red Cross took him letters from his children and loved ones. The organisation also said it would take him writing materials so he could write back."
Pat Young said there was still no clarity about when the matter against his brother would be resolved.
"It does seem. however, as if international pressure is building and causing the Afghan government to take action."
Dr Ayanda Ntsaluba, director general of the Department of International Relations and Co-operation, said this week that the South African government was in close contact with the British Embassy in Kabul.
"We don't have diplomatic representation in Afghanistan and in this matter have an agreement with the British to look after our citizen."