Karzai's Running Mate Escapes Bomb Blast Unhurt

[Scurrilous]

http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2004/10/6494e810-ab1a-42d7-ade3-8dfd699cdc81.html

<snip>

"Afghan Transitional Administration Chairman Hamid Karzai's running mate for the 9 October presidential election escaped a bomb blast unhurt today.

Ahmad Zia Mas'ud, Karzai's candidate for first vice president, was in Faizabad, the capital of Badakhshan Province, for a campaign rally when the blast occurred. Reports said the blast hit Mas'ud's convoy as it headed to the rally site, killing at least one person.

Campaigning for the election, which ends today, had been overshadowed by security concerns. Last month, Karzai had to cancel a rally outside Kabul following an attempt to shoot down his helicopter."

[SoCalDem]

1. Sounds like an "exciting" election they got goin' there

They guy who ISN'T blown up....wins :eyes:

[drhilarius]

2. Sounds like the elections are moving along nicely.

[SoCalDem]

3. The Plastique lobby must be very influential

:evilgrin:

[foo_bar]

4. plastique doesn't kill people! fuses do!

[BiggJawn]

5. Amazing! the call the Mayor of Kabul "President"...

And I call the guy who controls MAYBE 12 square blocks of Kabul "Mayor"...

Oh, and a controlled corridor (escape route) to the airport, can't forget that....

[Scurrilous]

6. Druglords blamed for attack on Karzai's running mate

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/SP69190.htm

<snip>

"Drug runners were behind a bomb attack on one of President Hamid Karzai's running mates just days before Afghanistan holds an historic election, Interior Minister Ali Ahmad Jalali said on Thursday.

The accusation reinforces Western concerns that Afghanistan could slide back to become a narco-state unless the winner of Saturday's presidential election acts to sideline influential private militia commanders and drug lords.

Vice-presidential candidate Ahmad Zia Masood, the brother of assassinated resistance hero Ahmad Shah Masood, escaped unhurt, but Wednesday's blast, detonated by remote control, killed two people and wounded three travelling in the same convoy.

A spokesman for the ousted Taliban regime, Mullah Dadullah, had claimed responsibility for the attack, but Jalali pointed the finger at druglords."

[Disturbed]

7. What a mess.

Another US Neo Fascist success story. ;(