Afghan governor plotted to kill diplomats from the West

An Afghan provincial governor plotted to kill the British, French and American ambassadors two years ago, Sir William Patey, Britain's outgoing ambassador to Kabul, said yesterday (Friday).

Intelligence reports indicated that Ghulam Qawis Abu Bakr, governor of Kapisa province, armed insurgents to strike during a joint visit by Western diplomats, causing the trip to be cancelled.

"There was some intelligence that there was a plot to kill the three ambassadors and appropriate action was taken to avoid it," Sir William said. "There was insufficient evidence to prosecute … but I know that the governor was removed by President [Hamid] Karzai."

The ambush plan in November 2009 involved arming local insurgents with rocket propelled grenades and tipping them off about a visit by then British ambassador Mark Sedwill and his French and American counterparts. US authorities are also trying to prosecute. Abu Bakr for involvement in the suicide car bomb killing of an American colonel and servicewoman earlier the same year.

Diplomats believe. Abu Bakr, a former Mujahideen commander with the Hizb-i-Islami party and a power broker in the province, is being shielded from investigation by the Afghan government. US authorities allege. Abu Bakr ordered the May 2009 bombing that killed Lt Col Mark Stratton and Senior Airman Ashton Goodman and said "as far as we are concerned, the case is still open".

They believe. Abu Bakr invited the US commander of the local military base overseeing development projects to a meeting after it cut contact with him over corruption allegations. Lt Col Stratton and Airman Goodman were by chance travelling that day on the same road and were killed when a suicide bomber drove an explosives-laden car into their convoy. Officials believe it was an assassination attempt that killed the wrong people.

They say they have wiretap evidence and witness statements supporting their allegations. "We have very long memories," one official said.. Abu Bakr denies the allegations. His son-in-law, Mohammed Iqbal Safi, an Afghan MP, said rival government officials were trying to frame his father-in-law, and had "poisoned the Americans' minds".