7 800kg of explosives seized near Kabul
2013-03-15 14:00
Kabul - Afghanistan's intelligence agency seized 7 800kg
of explosives destined to be made into a truck bomb for an attack in Kabul, an
official said on Friday.
The explosives, one of the largest single hauls by the
agency, were seized on Wednesday on the eastern outskirts of the capital after
a tip from locals, said Shafiqullah Tahiri, spokesperson for the National
Directorate of Security.
"Five terrorists were killed in an exchange of fire
with our forces," he said. "Two of them were detained."
The destructive capacity of such a bomb would have had a
radius of 1 500m, Tahiri said, adding that the explosives were composed of
ammonium nitrate, potassium chloride and other materials that had yet to be
identified.
They had been packed into cement bags.
"The terrorists planned to launch a full-fledged
attack after the explosion," the spokesperson said, adding that three
rocket-propelled grenade launchers, two machine guns and a large amount of
ammunition were also seized.
The haul came ahead of next week's Afghan New Year's
festival.
Tahiri blamed the Haqqani network and the Quetta Council
for planning the attack in Kabul.
The Haqqani network is an Afghan insurgent group believed
to be based in Pakistan's tribal regions. It is responsible for most of the
deadliest attacks around Kabul.
The Quetta Council is a loose umbrella of insurgent
groups headed by Taliban founder and leader Mullah Omar, who is believed to be
based in Quetta, Pakistan.
On Saturday, nine people were killed in a suicide attack
in Kabul in front of the Afghan defence ministry.
- SAPA
