by Greg Swift
The Express (London)
January 29, 2004
A Taliban terrorist granted British nationality murdered a Territorial Army soldier yesterday in a suicide bombing in Kabul. Four other British soldiers were injured in the attack timed to coincide with a memorial service for a Canadian serviceman killed in a similar incident on Tuesday.
The Algerian-born Islamic extremist drove a taxi packed with explosives into a British patrol outside the Army's base in the Afghan capital.
Tony Blair led the tributes to the dead soldier, expressing his "deepest condolences to his family, friends and colleagues. The Prime Minister said: "Our thoughts are also with those who were wounded in this attack."
The immediate family of the killed soldier were informed by the Ministry of Defence last night. They have requested that the name of the soldier not be released until they have informed relatives.
The British patrol had been escorting Estonian troops who are part of the International Security Assistance Force which is maintaining order in Afghanistan. The explosion ripped apart two softskinned Army vehicles and completely destroyed the suicide bomber's car.
Soldiers of ISAF's multi-nation peacekeeping force and Afghan police rushed to the site and cordoned off the area. The British force's Afghan translator was also injured in the blast and two other civilians were wounded.
The suicide bomber, called Saad and in his twenties, spent time in north London and sources believe he may have attended the mosque there run by hook-handed hate cleric Abu Hamza - many of whose followers are Algerians.
A spokesman for the ousted Taliban regime said the bomber had been granted British nationality. Abdul Latif Hakimi said the Taliban was responsible for the attack and warned that it was part of concerted campaign aimed at undermining ISAF and Afghanistan's brittle peace.
He warned that about 60 suicide attackers had been sent by the movement to the capital city to make fatal attacks against foreign troops. "More attacks will take place and hundreds of our men are ready to carry them out," he said.