US probe justifies attack on wedding

KABUL: Afghan President Hamid Karzai has said that an assassin who tried to kill him the day before 8216;8216;had links to Al Qaeda8217;8217; even as a senior security chief and 17 others were held for questioning.

Karzai, however, vowed on Friday that neither the shooting nor a car bombing that killed at least 24 Afghans here would divert his country from its road to recovery.

At the same time, Karzai said the two attacks on Thursday were the acts of isolated individuals and 8216;8216;do not indicate serious problems8217;8217; in his nation. 8216;8216;Generally our security is good,8217;8217; he said. 8216;8216;But we should not forget that terrorists are active,8217;8217; Karzai said.

The bombing 8216;8216;proves that enemies of Afghanistan do not want us to live in security.8217;8217; Despite Karzai8217;s assertion that the attacks were carried out by individuals, Afghan officials said that at least 18 people had been detained in connection with the assassination attempt.