Thaindian News

KABUL (BNO NEWS) — Six people have been detained on charges of plotting the assassination of Afghan President Hamid Karzai, the country’s top intelligence agency said on Wednesday.

Those arrested include four university students, a Kabul University professor and a guard. National Directorate of Security spokesman Lotfullah Mashal said the students are members of al-Qaeda and the Haqqani network and allegedly have direct ties to intelligence services of neighboring countries, the Pahjwok Afghan News agency reported.

Mashal added that the leader of the group was Dr. Habib who had links with two al-Qaeda members. During preliminary investigations, Habib acknowledged visiting Pakistan’s North Waziristan tribal region where he received militant training.

The official described the detainees as “a dangerous and educated group, including teachers and students, who wanted to assassinate President Karzai. Unfortunately, they infiltrated the presidential protection system and recruited one of the president’s bodyguards.”

The arrests come less than three weeks after former Afghan President Burhanuddin Rabbani was assassinated during a suicide attack at his residence while meeting with several members of the High Peace Council along with two important members of the Taliban, although the group later denied responsibility.