Afghan Mayor Assassinated by Suicide Bomber With Exploding Turban
- Posted on July 27, 2011 at 8:11am by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (AP) — A suicide bomber hiding explosives in his turban assassinated the mayor of Kandahar on Wednesday, just two weeks after President Hamid Karzai’s powerful half brother was slain in the southern province that is critical to the U.S.-led war effort.
Mayor Ghulam Haider Hamidi, 65, was the third powerbroker from southern Afghanistan to be killed in just over two weeks, underlining fears of a surge in violence in the wake of the slaying of the president’s half brother. The Taliban have claimed responsibility for all three attacks, yet the area is rife with tribal rivalries and criminals and it is not yet certain who is behind the trio of killings.
Ahmed Wali Karzai was gunned down in his home in Kandahar by a close associate on July 12, leaving a power vacuum in Kandahar and dealing a blow to the strength of the president’s support as well as the stability of the south where the Taliban hold the most sway.
Five days later, Karzai’s inner circle suffered another hit when gunmen killed Jan Mohammad Khan, an adviser to the president on tribal issues and a former governor of Uruzgan province, also in southern Afghanistan. A member of parliament also was killed in the July 17 attack at Khan’s home in Kabul.
Taliban spokesman Qari Yousef Ahmadi told The Associated Press that they killed the Kandahar mayor because he had ordered the destruction of homes that city officials claimed had been illegally constructed. Ahmadi said the mayor was killed to avenge the deaths of two children who were killed during the demolition work.
Kandahar Gov. Tooryalai Wesa said the two children were accidentally killed by a bulldozer knocking down the homes.
During his four years as mayor, Hamidi became the enemy of the Taliban as well as others involved in criminal activities.
The mayor’s son-in-law, Abdullah Khan, said Hamidi had launched a campaign against warlords and criminals and was particularly harsh on people who took illegal control of property. Just two days before the killing, he said his father-in-law had ordered several large homes torn down because they had been built illegally.
“I don’t know who did this,” Khan told the AP in a telephone interview. “From day one I was afraid. Even I wanted to put pressure on him to leave.”
“It is up to the police to investigate, but we don’t really have police that can do a good investigation,” Khan said.
Ryan Crocker, the new U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, and Gen. John Allen, the new commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, both condemned the assassination.
Crocker told reporters during his first briefing at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul that the assassination was indicative of the challenges ahead in Afghanistan.
“Assassinations are horrific acts – they are acts of terror and can have major impacts,” he said. “But I don’t think you can chart a straight line that says that three assassinations guarantees a total unraveling either of international support or Afghan confidence. It could very well go the other way.”
The mayor was killed inside the heavily fortified compound of a government building in the heart of the city just before he was to meet with citizens involved in the land dispute, according to Mohammad Nabi, an employee of the mayor’s office. The explosion occurred when somebody holding a piece of paper approached him as he was walking with another person, Nabi said.
“He tried to say something to the mayor and then suddenly the explosion happened,” according to Nabi, who said the man with the paper was the bomber. “After that there was some shooting. I hid behind a wall. The windows were shattered. There was dark smoke.”
Black cloth with thin gray stripes that the bomber had used to wrap his turban could be seen on the ground where he detonated his explosives. Blood was spattered on the dirt ground of the compound and the trunk of a nearby tree.
The governor’s spokesman, Zalmai Ayubi, said one civilian also was killed and another civilian and a security guard were wounded in the explosion.
“The suicide bomber put explosives inside his turban,” said Sher Shah Yousafzai, deputy police chief in Kandahar province. “As soon as the mayor came to work, the attacker detonated his explosives.”
Militants have targeted scores of government officials in Kandahar, heightening fears that security in the already volatile south is unraveling.
In April, a suicide bomber wearing a police uniform killed Khan Mohammad Mujahid, the Kandahar provincial police chief and one of the most prominent law enforcement officials in the nation. Two deputy mayors also have been killed – one in April 2010 as he knelt for evening prayers in a mosque and another during an insurgent attack in October 2010.
Two days after the president’s half brother was slain, a suicide attacker – also with explosives hidden in his turban – blew himself up inside a mosque where Afghan officials were attending a memorial service for him.
Hamidi, who worked in the U.S. financial sector for many years and was a U.S. citizen, was considered to be Wali Karzai’s ally in Kandahar. But Hamidi operated behind the scenes and his tribal contacts were not considered strong, leading some to speculate that he could not take over for Wali Karzai, a master operator who played Kandahar’s hard-line tribal and political factions against one another to retain ultimate control over the restive province.
According to the Kandahar governor’s office, Karzai had offered Hamidi other posts, but that he had chosen to remain mayor. Karzai had offered to appoint Hamidi as a deputy finance minister, the head of the government’s local governance unit in Kabul as well as the governor positions in Herat and Kandahar provinces.
“He was struggling with all the powerful people in Kandahar – the land grabbers and people who were breaking the law,” the governor’s office said in a statement. “That’s why the militants targeted him.”
The gray-haired Hamidi, who was from Kandahar’s Arghandab district, attended high school in Kandahar and Kabul University. He worked for 13 years in the Afghan Finance Ministry’s budget department and was employed at a government bank. He moved to Pakistan and later to the United States and then returned after the collapse of the Taliban regime in 2001.
—
Associated Press writers Amir Shah, Patrick Quinn and Rahim Faiez in Kabul and Kathy Gannon in Islamabad contributed to this report.
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Comments (119)
cloudsofwar
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 9:30ami’m so glade our young men are there fighting for these people. Blake Wipple died by an IED fighting for these people in 2010 he was 21. when and if we leave these good people they will be chanting Death to America. we should have left some years ago and we should have left Iraq. but now we are in lybia also.
Report Post »ConsiderThis
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 11:06amRight now I’d rather see the troops positioned in Africa ensuring that the aid agencies can get life saving supplies to the millions who will probably perish from the drought.
Somalia is a nightmare right now.
The developed world cannot sit back and watch as these poor people suffer so horribly.
We’ve spent a fortunate in Libya and the result is looking like a stalemate that could go on for years.
Report Post »In Afghanistan we’ll never come close to achieving whatever can be considered a victory because the root cause of the problem is an religious/political ideology which is unchangeable.
OneCitizenOfTheRepublic
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 12:22pmIf you cannot envision a successful end to a war, you should never engage in it to start with. American interests are best served by protecting our people in our homeland first, for all enemies, both foreign and domestic. Lock down the borders, and quit pandering to illegal aliens. American rights and liberties should first be secured for citizens, then we can worry about saving the world once more…if we decide that is really the role that we can plan successfully in our current economic climate…
Report Post »Angeli
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 12:59pmI have a comment of my own. When boarding a USAir Flight, they held back an elderly gentleman with a hearing aid and a cane. while this long process went o n, the man behind me in line had a Muslim Garb and a Turban, yep, you got it went right through. USA and PC! We are turning into just plain BOOBS in this country with no leadership at all!!
Report Post »smithclar3nc3
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 1:37pmWe got bin Laden can’t we just call it a win and get our boy and girls home from that god forsaken religious nut dust bowl. And from here on out ban and remove any muslims with radicals ties out of the effing country.
Report Post »Obama Bin Lying
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 2:17pmNow I know why Muslims are hate filled at the guy who drew the Mohammed Turban Bomb Cartoon. He let out an Islamic Weapon secret. Kind of like the Wiki Leaks of the Islamic world
Report Post »@ Coyote2
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 4:19pmOne dead drugged Afgahn, one dead Mayor, one Mossad operative with the remote detonator.
Report Post »“By Deception, Thou Shalt Make War”, working again.
used to be a liberal
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 4:26pmCloudsofwar, I don’t necessarily disagree with you, but at the same time I don’t believe the propaganda either, example fighting for those people, Iraq or Afghanistan, let alone Libya. I don’t believe for a moment that our reasons for being there are to help those people in anyway shape or form. I believe we are there for monetary, strategic, and other self-interest reasons. The fact that we are helping and appear to be helping is only an offshoot of our agenda, although positive in nature, it is not our original intent. By the way too, I would not call this a war by any stretch of the imagination, it is far closer to being an overblown police type action, then anything else. I also feel that the use of the word war is inappropriate in this case, it is an overused word as is racism and racist.
Report Post »If this were truly a war we would have and could have cleaned out that rats nest a long time ago, and as far as I am concerned we should have done just that. However we are caught in a trap, an agenda of a New World Order, brought to light under Bush 1 continued under Clinton, and Bush2, and now Obama who is to hammer in the final nails into the coffin of the USA. These mid-east uprisings were planned, and deliberate, “democracy” my butt. They will all fall under the Islamic Brotherhood, an enemy that is being deliberately created, then in 5 to 7 years we will be at a real war with Islam, I believe this is planned. Then there is Gaddafi, we went after him, why? he was more [contin
bigjack940
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 4:41pmActually, this proves that this device works. Hence, why don’t we just get a hold of enough of these and pass them out. ?, and let them work on every one of these sand *******, that are in power over there and let nature take its course, and we can then bring all of our kids home , “NOW”, still in one piece. and we’d e through with all that garbage, and not lose any more of our kids to their jihad bull crap.
Report Post »used to be a liberal
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 4:50pmhe was more of an asset then a hindrance, until he decided that he was going to use the gold standard. This greatly upset the IMF, and the FED here, placed a monkey wrench into the plans of the New World Order, so if he didn’t give in then he would have to go, and besides he was a thorn in the side of the Islamic Brotherhood, we couldn’t let that obstacle remain.
Any notion that we will be bringing our troops home soon is nothing more then a “pipe dream” as again to repeat myself, what we are doing there has very little or nothing to do with freedom, and democracy. Let alone our own freedom and democracy which is being undermined here at home everyday. I ask myself where did 4 trillion in stimulus money go, just disappeared? well no it didn’t, it went to prop up socialist countries outside the USA, and isn‘t it odd that the countries that will be hurt if Obama doesn’t get his way, will be socialist countries, and the New World Order agenda.
If I was the speaker of the House, I would not give Obama one more dime. I would not raise the debt ceiling. I would bring everything to a standstill, let the pooh it the fan. We have rebounded from much worse, and have come back much stronger, too bad if the New World Order agenda collapses, and it would, because this is what this whole thing is all about, nothing more and nothing less, don’t think so, then simply ask yourself, where will this money go? The important programs are safe, and fundable with out a higher debt ce
Report Post »getalong
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 5:48pmI agree. We should not be in Libya or Afghanistan. Send out troops to the horn of Africa and kick ass to get the supplies through. It does no good to donate money or food, if it is just going to end up in the pockets of the oppressors.
Report Post »Ruler4You
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 8:42pmGee. Who could have predicted this?
Report Post »WeDontNeedNoStinkingBadges
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 11:44pmThe bomber MUST have been a Liberal … their heads are ALWAYS exploding.
Report Post »krispy01
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 9:29amI guess the mayor must have said something to make his head explode ! Call him the ‘turbanator’ !
Report Post »nhbmaing
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 11:20amThey told him not to blow his top
haha…see what I did there?
Report Post »banjarmon
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 1:05pmThat is not a towel around their head it is a sheet…There fore these people will be known as
Report Post »S H E E T H E A D S!!!
ermalu
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 2:05pmThat’s funny.‘turbanator’ !
Report Post »SREGN
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 9:25amGood grief what’s next? Exploding rectums? In the interest of national security we have to shut down all the Taco Bells.
Report Post »the wireworker
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 9:23amwait for it….wait for it….wait for it…….exploding burkas!!!
Report Post »mrsmileyface
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 9:39amIm still waiting on the burkas that if you get them wet they disintegrate. I hear some of the muslim women are hot and sometimes nekid under that.
Report Post »banjarmon
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 1:10pmI wonder do they ever have a wet burka contest???
Report Post »kj95376
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 9:23amSo the cartoon of Mohamed with a bomb in his turban may actually be true after all.
KJ
Report Post »lambsev
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 12:33pmRotfl with tears and sorrow…
Report Post »calebgs83
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 9:23am…and the Muslims murdered people for drawing Muhammad with a bomb for a turban a few years ago.
Report Post »Favored93
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 11:17amReligion of peace! HA!
Report Post »cloudsofwar
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 9:21amHeadline: exploding Turbans, next exploding Flying Rugs.
Report Post »Linda7
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 2:43pmNASA‘s next project to promote Islam’s scientific contributions to the world.
Report Post »NOBELSPORT
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 9:05amBomb in a shoe….now we have to take ours off
Report Post »Bomb in underwear…..now we get groped….or an xxx photo
They MIGHT use a child or old person to conceal a bomb…..now our families are humiliated
They ACTUALLY used a turban to hide a bomb………..The TSA will remain hypocrytical and all the above will still apply…..Some reporter needs to ask Home land Security or the TSA how they will address this new and proven threat…..or are you just a bunch of cowards affraid of not getting the next interview
Carol Ingian
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 9:17amBomb in the turban? Maybe we will have to shave our heads and leave our hats at home! ;)
Report Post »4kidsandacat
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 12:14pmI guess the TSA will start practicing the lost art of phrenology now?
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 9:03amAnd these are the people that Obama wants to negotiate with why we are engaging in his policy of cut-and-run? God help us and the Afghanistan people…
Report Post »http://artinphoenix.com/gallery/grimm (cat folk gallery)
Classical Liberal
Posted on July 28, 2011 at 1:40amThe whole situation in Afghanistan stinks. It is difficult to imagine a positive outcome in this war over nothing. Whatever the outcome, I hope it does right by those who have served and those that continue to do so. We can only pray for the people of afghanistan now.
Report Post »windycitywoman
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 9:01amHello Beck friends! I (original founder) have started a prayer group for Glenn and his endeavors on educating our youth and his mission in Israel. This group also posts news articles and videos on topics Glenn has covered on his show. Many others and I are members of GBTV and will be discussing his show daily and posting what he shares on the Internet. This is a great way to stay in the loop if you do not have GBTV!. If you are a “like minded” Christian, Conservative Glenn Beck fan please join us (without the TROLLS)! We did a wonderful fast and pray last week for Israel! Find me on Facebook under Sharon Grek Papucci and send me a friend request! Men may spurn our appeals, reject our message, oppose our arguments, despise our persons, but they are helpless against our prayers.” -Sidlow Baxter
Report Post »axeman
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 4:07pmI just want to say “THANK YOU”! AMERICA AND THE WORLD needs GLEN BECK! This REAL MAN has a SOUL WHICH I CONNECT WITH!! We must STAY SAFE AND PREPARE PREPARE PREPARE…….for what is COMING TO AMERICA! You know that little slogan of “CHANGE YOU CAN BELIEVE IN” and all the FOOLS running around saying “anyone is better than Bush!“ I TODAY just as I STATED BEFORE Obummer was elected STILL BELIEVE HE IS THE WORST ENEMY ”THE WORLD” HAS EVER KNOWN! If WE THE PEOPLE do not SHOW THE FOOLS TRUTH THEY CAN BELIEVE IN FREEDOM SHALL BE LOST FOR THE REST OF OUR LIVES!!!! Just like HITLER the LONGER Obummer is ALLOWED TO GET AWAY WITH MARXISM THE HARDER IT WILL BE TO OUST HIM!!! Remember this!!! THERE IS ONLY ONE AMERICA!! IT WAS AMERICA WHOM SAVED THE WORLD THEN! Today NOBODY WILL HELP US!
Report Post »nysparkie
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 8:56amLMAO…. Two less in the world. How great are these guys towards each other. LMAO !!!!
Report Post »MidWestMom
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 8:49amA suicide bomber hiding explosives in his turban……gee, that’s a new idea. [heavy sarcasm]
Note to Homeland Security: Perhaps you should re-think your policy on who & what the TSA searches? hmmmm….elderly grandmas in depends or middle-eastern men in turbans….decisions, decisions.
Report Post »bigjack940
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 4:55pm@midwest mom, Your right, but, I think you already know, that they won’t do that, because that would be the common sense approach, and, they don’t have any common sense.
Report Post »nysparkie
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 8:41amTake two aspirin and call me in the morning.
Report Post »BIGJAYINPA
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 8:58amCut them loose NOW!!! Bring all of our people home NOW!! If these animals want to live like this, LET THEM!! I don’t want to hear any bull**** about how if we leave the Taliban will take charge again. If that is what the Afghan people want, FINE!! Just serve notice to them–Do anything you like to your own people, treat them any way they will stand for after all it is your country, your people. But IF YOU ATTACK US IN ANY WAY YOUR COUNTRY, YOUR PEOPLE WILL CEASE TO EXIST!!! We have the weapons to completely eliminate any trace you ever existed. Leave us alone, we will leave you alone…Just sayin’
Report Post »NJTMATO
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 8:39amI just can’t wrap my head around this……..
Report Post »myway
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 8:52amI think I seen a picture of obama in one of the helmets! Must have been a dud!
Report Post »GRAMPA-D-NH
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 9:04amGives new meaning to “use your head”.
Report Post »heavyduty
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 8:35amThe reason that Muslims have to wear turbins and burka’s is because it keeps what little brains they have from falling out of their ears. These people sure are stupid.
Report Post »oldchevyguy
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 8:35amI guess this is the reason the Taliban never hides a bomb in a bar of soap
Report Post »eddyjames1952
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 1:00pmAchmed….What is this “Soap” of which he speaks???
Report Post »eddyjames1952
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 1:03pmAchmed…What is this “Soap” of which he speaks???
Report Post »NickDeringer
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 8:32amThis was obviously caused by Left-wing hate speech.
Report Post »KickinBack
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 9:05amNah, he was watching MSNBC and was so enthralled with Chris Matthew’s drivel that his head exploded.
Report Post »USAFRetired
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 8:26amListen to enough of anything and your head will explode
Report Post »1stAmendment
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 8:25amThat Danish cartoon wasn’t so wrong after all!
Report Post »13th Imam
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 8:25amSuch are the valuable contributions to society of the muslim cult. Shoe Bombs, Turban Bombs, Roadside Bombs, Underwear Bombs, Yes, Yes Rosie they are surely a proud cult. Innovating new and culturally significant ideas. With Barry as our fearless leader we will surly follow i-slams proud history.
Report Post »NOTAMUSHROOM
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 8:22amWell now if they keep this up, there won’t be any more of these people on the planet. Wait a minute…..
Report Post »biohazard23
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 8:19amCan we give them all imploding turbans instead?
Report Post »hersey10
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 8:17amPerfect , now Big Sis can start searching them at airports , on 2nd thought , she will probably let them search themselves and report what they find like they do now .
Report Post »loriann12
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 8:29amNo, the airports will search white males with ball caps, cancer patients with wigs, but exclude the Muslims with turbans or the wraps the women wear, couldn’t spell it at this point.
Report Post »old white guy
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 8:16amwow, losing your head to make a point. he should have listened to glen and used duct tape.
Report Post »PelositheGreat
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 8:16amhmmm… TSA will no search them?
Report Post »GRAMPA-D-NH
Posted on July 27, 2011 at 9:02amYou took the words right out of my mouth. Lets see if Big Sis takes notice. I suspect she is too focused on the real threat requiring the checking of 90 year old grandmother’s diapers, colostomy bags, and fondling children to bother with much more. Besides, why waste valuable TSA resources checking adherents to the “religion of peace”?
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