The Associated Press
04/19/2003
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AFGHAN security forces foiled a plot to kill Defence Minister Mohammad Qasim Fahim and Planning Minister Mohammad Muhaqeq after Afghanistan's New Year celebrations, a local commander said today.

On March 22, after the new year celebrations, three rockets were fired at Mazar airport from Gornar village, four km from the main city in northern Afghanistan.

Four suspected extremists of former premier Gulbuddin Hekmatyar were arrested at the time.

One of them today confessed they had been plotting to kill the ministers, who were returning to Kabul, Commander Majit Rozi said.

"They said then they were soldiers of Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, but didn't say anything about killing Marshal Fahim," he said.

"Then, after a report on Balkh television (earlier in the week), one of them confessed that they had come to kill Marshal Fahim and Hajji Mohammad Muhaqeq," he said.

The provincial television station had reported that Afghan security forces foiled an assassination attempt as the ministers left Mazar for Kabul after attending new year celebrations.

Renegade warlord Hekmatyar is attempting to undermine the government of President Hamid Karzai. The International Security Assistance Force blamed Hekmatyar extremists for a rocket attack on its Kabul headquarters last month.

Taliban, al-Qaeda and Hekmatyar extremists have been blamed for a recent wave of attacks on foreign and government targets in Afghanistan.

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