Afghan Officials Say Eight Arrested In Foiled Abduction
August 16, 2007 (RFE/RL) -- Afghanistan's National Security Office says eight Taliban-linked militants have been detained, thwarting their plans to abduct a group of Indian diplomats and engineers, RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan reported.
National Security Office spokesman Sayed Ansari says the eight militants were arrested on August 6 in Kabul. He said they also planned to carry out rocket attacks in Kabul last week during an assembly of Afghan and Pakistani tribal elders.
Ansari said the leader of the group is Mohammad Talib, a former Taliban district chief in Kabul and former intelligence officer for the Islamist movement.
Ansari alleged that Talib was receiving orders directly from an officer in Pakistan's military intelligence.