Afghan ministry employee suspected in UN killing

Hamid KarzaiAgencies, Kabul

Afghanistan's interior ministry said yesterday one of its employees is suspected of shooting dead two US officers inside its headquarters a day earlier, an attack that prompted Nato to recall all its staff from ministries.

Afghan security sources identified Abdul Saboor, a 25-year-old police intelligence officer, as a suspect in the shooting of the Americans at close range deep inside the interior ministry.

CCTV footage showed that Saboor had access to the command and control centre, tucked deep inside the ministry, where the slain Americans were found, security officials told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

The Taliban took responsibility for the attack, saying it was in retaliation for the burning of the Qurans.

The attack took place on Saturday as rage gripped the country for a fifth straight day over the burning of the Muslim holy book at a Nato base, despite an apology from US President Barack Obama.

Meanwhile, Afghan President Hamid Karzai went on television yesterday to appeal for calm after five days of violent anti-US protests across his country over the burning of the holy Qurans at a US military base.

Karzai "condemned with the strongest words" the treatment of Islam's holy book and said the perpetrators should be punished, but told his countrymen, "Now that we have shown our feelings it is time to be calm and peaceful."

The president said he respected the feelings of Afghans upset by the Quran burning, but called on them not to "let the enemies of Afghanistan misuse their feelings".

However, riots erupted again in Afghanistan yesterday, Reuters witnesses said, with thousands in northern provinces hoisting the white Taliban flag and throwing stones at police, who fired into the air to disperse the crowds.

A protester was killed and seven US soldiers were wounded in a grenade attack on their base in anti-American protests, police said as President Hamid Karzai called for calm.

The latest violence came as police hunted an intelligence official suspected of killing two US officers at the interior ministry -- which led to Nato pulling all its advisers out of government ministries.