Afghans Had Advance Intel on U.N. Attack

Official Says Info About Taliban's Deadly Assault on Kabul Guest House Was Known, But Security Measures Were Lax

(AP)  Afghan intelligence had advance information that a Taliban attack was in the works in Kabul before a deadly assault on a U.N. guest house and ramped up security, but not during the pre-dawn hours when the militants struck, a top official said Saturday.

Gunmen wearing suicide vests stormed the guest house before 6 a.m. on Wednesday, killing eight people - five of them United Nations foreign staffers. The gunmen also died.

The comments by Afghan intelligence chief, Amrullah Saleh, are likely to intensify criticism of the security provided to employees of the world body working in Afghanistan. The United Nations has already said that it took too long for Afghan police and NATO troops to respond to the attack.

Saleh said eight men have been arrested who were involved in planning the attack, including an imam who housed the assailants and was captured as he landed by plane in Saudi Arabia. The others were arrested in Afghanistan.

"We were aware of the attack in Kabul city one week before," Saleh said. "Based on our information were able to prevent a part of the attack, by arresting of some of their men and disrupting their plans."

He did not say how specific the information was or what other plans were derailed.

The intelligence reports had suggested the attack would happen either after 7 a.m. or around 3 p.m., so police beefed up checkpoints and security during those times but not overnight, Saleh said.

The militants "used this opportunity and started their attack sooner than that time," he said.

United Nations security guards who were living in the house held off the gunmen for at least an hour on their own before security forces showed up, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Friday.

Ban said the U.N. security team "repeatedly called for help from both Afghanistan government forces and other international partners."

U.N. spokeswoman Michele Montas said the U.N. was demanding an explanation.

Saleh declined to answer questions about how quickly security forces responded.

Some of the eight arrested were caught after the attack, Saleh said, including the imam who was caught as he landed at the airport in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Thursday.

[sean66x]

The Baboons spend their time figuring methods for exploding bombs hidden in vehicles, vests, or the road. Innocent children are murdered by their treachery. Kabul should forget about NATO incompetence. Surveillance is the significant point of vigilance. The Afghani Army will apprehend more chimps by technical discovery. The Americans are simply throwing in their high school drop-outs to spike regional blood lust so OPEC can raise the price for oil.

[kevjustice]

All the resources and money being wasted on that country and then some people like neocons complain about money that would be used to give our taxpaying fellow citizens health care.

[askagain]

shazmiangels17 - We just want your trees and oil. We don't want you. Please stay in Canada. America the beautiful wants to keep the shabby out.

[cattiej]

The gunmen stormed the guest house and it was learned that 5 of the gunmen were UNITED NATIONS FOREIGN STAFERS!..This war in Afganastan, Iraq and now Pakistan must come to a close for America. We have met the enemy and it is us.
Obama said he would bring the troops home when he was running for President. He lied..He has not brought our people home, they are just killed, murdered everyday by the people who hate America. I think they hate the American government but perhaps not the American people who don't seem to be able to make our politicans listen to us to end this unjust war. We are being used finincially, morally and spirtually by the Afghan's and these other countries that we send millions and billions of dollars of hard earned money from the American taxpayers. We are losing our jobs here in America. Being in the military isn't great either because many of their families are on food stamps. Meanwhile, we here in the midwest, hire illegals to work the farms, the meat plants, the flower farms and anywhere else our fellow American citizens can get by with hiring illegal aliens. Now Obama is letting in the people with HIV, how many more millions in health care is that going to cost? Bring our soldiers home. Buy American. Hire American workers only. Buy American cars only. We are giving and selling our America away for pennies on the dollar.

[bubbadubba]

Reminds me of all those attacks on Americans where we had advance notice but couldn't prevent it including (if you don't believe Bush was in on it) 9/11.
Now what exactly is the story here? Are we supposed to think believe the Afghans are not as good as us when it comes to preventing attacks?

[Ms_enza]

Once again the US inserts itself into someone else's civil war.

Where were the Vietnamese when Fort Sumter was shelled? Where were the Iraqis at the charge of Little Round Top? Where were the Afghanis when Richmond was beseiged?

[ToolMangler1]

by Ms_enza October 31, 2009 1:11 PM EDT
Once again the US inserts itself into someone else's civil war."



Your questions are pointless. The Afghans (Talibani) sheltered and supported Al Qaeda and Bin Ladin so they could attack the USA (09/11/2001). It has been determined that The Taliban will continue to do this while they are in power. Therefore it is in our best interest to defeat them while we can. (Before they take over the entire Mid East)

[markwains]

P.S,

If they are already a citizen of this country then please arrest them before they kill someone in this country.

[markwains]

If the Cia or the FBI have read this persons comment I implore them to deport this person asap before he or she kills someone in this country

[Ms_enza]

You're being too hard on yourself.