MAYWAND, Afghanistan - The leader of an Afghan district where Canadians are currently deployed says he has reason to believe the Pakistani secret police are offering cash rewards to anyone who uses an explosive device to injure or kill a NATO soldier. | Hummm, my surprise meter didn't budge. |
"I have heard the Pakistan ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence) is openly giving money for people that are laying mines," said Haji Saifullah, district leader for Maywand - a desert region in the northwest sector of Kandahar province that contains about 100,000 people. | Tap....tap...nope, still not working... |
"If the mine goes off on coalition forces they are going to get more money, if they go off on (Afghanistan National Army soldiers) they are going to get middle-class money and if it is going off on police they are going to get less money," he added, while speaking through an interpreter provided by the Canadian military. CanWest News Service could not independently verify Saifullah's comments on Wednesday, and the district leader did not provide any direct evidence to prove the allegations.
Saifullah's comments came about 20 minutes after four members of the Afghanistan National Police were reportedly injured in an explosion that took place about five kilometres from his office at the district centre. It was not immediately clear who was responsible for the attack or the extent of the injuries, though early reports suggested it was the result of an attack from an IED - improvised explosive device.
In Wednesday's interview, Saifullah said he has been told a successful bomber will get 100,000 Pakistani Rupees, roughly $1,900 Cdn, if he kills a member of NATO's International Security Assistance Force, and 20,000 Rupees, about $380 Cdn, for members of the Afghan forces. He added he has heard a bomber will get half those amounts if he is able to simply hit a convoy with an explosive device. | If we start hearing reports of more ISI agents have "car troubles", we'll know it's payback time |
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