Print

Mail

wiki links

Would-be bomber asks to be pardoned by Afghan president

A teenage would-be suicide bomber begged for a presidential pardon in Afghanistan on Tuesday as he was paraded in front of media cameras with his deadly vests displayed behind him.

The 18-year-old, named as Hameedullah, said he had worked as a laborer in Pakistan and been influenced by a villager loyal to the Pakistani Taliban to carry out deadly attacks against foreign troops and "infidel" Afghan forces.

"I came to Afghanistan, to Helmand Province," he told reporters in a press conference held by Afghan counter-terrorism police.

"I was handed over to other Taliban. They were preaching jihad all day long. They said Afghanistan is invaded by foreign troops and Afghan police are the army are infidels as well.

"After days of preaching one day they said `who is ready to carry out a suicide attack?' I said I am. I apologize to the Afghan people and President [Hamid] Karzai. I beg them to forgive me."

The teenager was arrested together with another suicide attacker, Alaam Gul also from Quetta, Pakistan, 10 days ago in Helmand province, counter-terrorism police chief Abdul Manaan Farahi told reporters.

They were plotting suicide attacks against Helmand's governor and foreign troops, and were arrested.

Karzai has previously pardoned a 14-year-old Pakistani who was arrested just before carrying out a suicide attack.

Also See: Afghans `didn't need to' die
This story has been viewed 1076 times.