Attempted al-Qaida political killing of Afghan governor thwarted, police declares

Attempted al-Qaida political killing of Afghan governor thwarted, police declares

Security forces Monday thwarted a suspected al-Qaida assassination attempt on a prominent provincial governor in northern Afghanistan , police said.

An alleged al-Qaida member carrying a passport from the African country of Mali entered the home of Atta Mohammad, the governor of northern Balkh province, with explosives hidden under his clothes before being stopped by the official's bodyguards, said police spokesman Sher Jan Durani.

"He was going to blow himself up when he was with the governor," he said, reports the AP.

D.M.