Afghanistans intelligence agency said on Wednesday it had thwarted a plot to assassinate President Hamid Karzai and arrested a guard and five people with links to Haqqani network and al-Qaeda. The plotters,who included university students and a medical professor,had been trained to launch attacks in Kabul and had recruited Karzais bodyguard to kill the president,the National Directorate of Security said. A dangerous and educated group including teachers and students wanted to assassinate Karzai, spokesman Lutfullah Mashal said. Unfortunately they infiltrated the presidential protection system and recruited one of his bodyguards. Mashal said those detained had ties with three men,including an Egyptian and a Bangladeshi,who were all members of al-Qaeda and the Haqqani network which is based in Pakistans tribal region of North Waziristan,bordering Afghanistan. Those arrested were part of a most sophisticated group who confessed to having been trained to use guns,rockets and suicide attacks,he said,with top government officials among the targets. They also said they had received $150,000 to fund their activities,and planned to kill Karzai during one of his trips outside the capital,Mashal added. Mashal said the bodyguard,Mohebullah Ahmadi,was from Karzais home village of Karz in southern Kandahar province,and he had been shown al-Qaeda and Haqqani video propaganda to persuade him to take part in the assassination plot. Gilani plays down India-Afghan pact Pak PM Yousuf Raza Gilani on Wednesday sought to play down the partnership agreement signed by India and Afghanistan,saying he did not think it would have any adverse impact on Pakistan. Both are sovereign countries,they have the right to do whatever they want to, Gilani said. Asked if it would have an adverse effect on Pak: I dont think so. Were all in the same region. We want to work together for peace and prosperity. We should work together.
