AFGHAN police have arrested a man who was allegedly preparing to throw a bomb at the passing convoy of President Hamid Karzai, security officials in the city of Kandahar said today. "A suspect was arrested with a hand-bomb this morning in Shekar Tur bazaar, close to a road which was to be used by the presidential convoy a few minutes later," provincial military spokesman Abdul Ali told AFP. "The individual was hiding behind a house close to the road. He was probably waiting for information from his accomplices on the coming of the convoy," he added. Karzai, who has been in the southern Afghan city since yesterday, was returning from his home village of Karz, around 20 kilometres south of the city, where he was visiting his father’s grave. The apparent assassination attempt was foiled just minutes before Karzai’s convoy was due to pass, Ali said. Local police chief Sadiq Hulla said the man was being questioned by intelligence officers.
"Oooch! Ouch! Hey! Stop that! Ooooow!" | He described the weapon the man was allegedly handling as a small bomb or a grenade. |