Assessment team finds terrorist link to ANP shooter in Badghis

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN

08.28.2010

Courtesy Story

ISAF Joint Command

KABUL - A joint incident assessment team returned to Kabul today following a trip to Badghis province where two Spanish military instructors, a Spanish interpreter, and an Afghan National Police member were killed following a gun fight on Wednesday.

Following their assessment, it was confirmed that the ANP service member killed the Spanish military instructors and the Spanish interpreter in an unprovoked attack.

In a report, the team determined that the ANP service member who shot two Spanish military instructors and a Spanish interpreter, had been arrested and disarmed a year ago for links to terrorists.

Following his arrest, two local elders established the shooter as a credible member of society and he was therefore allowed to go free and subsequently re-enlist with the ANP.

According to the report the shooting was unprovoked and likely caused by the shooter's links to terrorists, the shooter's brother-in-law is a known terrorist in the area. It appears the attack was targeted since the shooter did not engage anyone else and tried to escape following the assault.

Within 25 minutes of the shooting incident, a violent demonstration took place at the former provincial reconstruction team base in Qal'ah Ye Now, the same site where the shootings occurred. The joint team discovered that bricks used to attack the PRT had been prepositioned in piles prior to the demonstration. They also discovered that some demonstrators were in possession of hand grenades, Molotov cocktails and weapons upon arrival.

During the demonstration Spanish military instructors remained inside the base with the ANP trainees. The report indicates that ANP outside the base responded to the demonstration and took control of the situation. The violent demonstration resulted in 25 wounded, 11 by gunfire, however it is unclear how the wounds were suffered since many of the demonstrators were firing guns, throwing bricks and grenades.

The report confirmed that none of the injuries were caused by ISAF forces.

The report indicates that the attack and demonstration were coordinated and the result of terrorist activity.

"The information we received all points to terrorist activity," said U.K. Brig Gen Allan McLeod, joint team lead from ISAF joint command. "The terrorists purposefully plan and coordinate these types of attacks to try separate the people of Afghanistan from the government."

The joint incident assessment team, led by McLeod, was comprised of Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan appointees from the Ministries of Interior and Defense as well as ISAF officials.

• Date Taken: 08.28.2010
• Date Posted: 08.28.2010 11:18
• Story ID: 55316
• Location: KABUL, AF