MAZAR-I-SHARIF (Pajhwok): A Taliban plan to carry out suicide attack in northern Balkh province with alleged support from former Provincial Council (PC) members has been foiled, public representatives claimed on Tuesday.
Mohammad Amin Dara Sufi, head of provincial council, told Pajhwok Afghan News former public representatives who could not win last year’s election had planned a suicide attack on provincial council members.
Sufi alleged former PC member Abdul Rashid had planned the suicide attack with the support of anti-state rebels on Balkh provincial council office. The National Directorate of Security (NDS) had apprehended Rashid on charges of suicide attack on Tuesday morning, he mentioned.
Mohammad Amin, another PC member, accused ex PC member was looking suspiciously at all rooms and vehicles in the provincial council building in apparent attempt to materialize suicide attack.
The information collected from several sources showed that former PC members had motivated suicide bombers to mount attack on the building but his plan failed prematurely.
NDS had arrested a number of suicide bombers in Kabul some ten days back who shared information of imminent attack on provincial council building, Amin claimed, adding that the spy network had arrested Abdul Rashid on same charges.
Pajhwok Afghan News tried repeatedly to get version of NDS officials but to no avail. Security officials in Balkh said they did not have complete information regarding the arrest of Abdul Rashid.
Col. Razzaq Qadri, police chief, said he got information regarding the arrest from media sources while he did not have personal information.
Mohammad Ibrahim Khair Andesh, head of provincial council, confirmed that former PC member had a plan of suicide attack over the provincial council building and NDS had arrested him on same charges.
Pajhwok Afghan News tried to reach to Abdul Rashid for his version but his cell phone was not responding.
