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AT Monitoring Desk-KABUL: A multi-sided agent, Chaman Gul, planned to assassinate the US ambassador and Hamid Karzai when he was President of Afghanistan, revealed a new WikiLeaks cable release.
The cable was sent by the Joint Task Force Guantanamo Bay to the US Department of Defense on August 17, 2005.
According to the cable released by the whistleblower, Chaman Gul, a resident of Logar province, planned to kill the ex-Afghan President Hamid Karzai and the former US ambassador.
The task force said in the cable, “Detainee [Chaman Gul] was implicated in a plot to kill Afghan President Hamid Karzai and the American Ambassador to Afghanistan by placing bombs at the Presidential Palace and US Embassy.”
According to the memo, the detainee has demonstrated a willingness to provide considerable information about others, but nothing incriminating about himself. Consistent reporting, however, indicates that he remains a committed member to the Hezb-e-Islami Afghanistan (HIA) and its goals. Detainee worked for the Afghan National Directorate of Security (NDS), Pakistani Inter-Service Intelligence Directorate (ISI), and the Afghan Defense Ministry under Fahim Khan.
“This detainee had direct contact with the highest levels of the Anti-Coalition movement (ACM). His commitment to jihad, links to key facilitators in the Al-Qaida’s international terrorist network, participation in terrorist training and involvement in hostilities against the US and coalition forces lead to the determination that he poses a high risk. It is assessed this detainee is a HIGH [Hezb-e-Islami] risk, as he is likely to pose a threat to the US, its interests and allies,” the cable said.
Chaman Gul was born in 1963 in Logar Province, Afghanistan. He fought in the jihad against the Soviets under Gulbuddin Hekmatyar. Gul claimed he was an ordinary foot soldier who became well known as a fighter and was subsequently given command of 80 Mujahideen. His fame was a result of his performance at a mountain pass near Sorubi when he did not allow the Soviets to breach the pass. He worked for the HIA until Hekmatyar became Vice-President of Afghanistan.
“Detainee claimed he asked Hekmatyar if he could be governor of Logar Province, however, Hekmatyar denied his request. Detainee decided he would begin to work for Ahmad Shah Masood, the leader of the Northern Alliance. Detainee claimed Yacoub recruited him for a security job with the Karzai government,” the cable reveals. Gul claimed the British intelligence service used him as an informant. He also claimed he worked for the NDS, ISI and the Afghan Defense Minister Fahim Khan as an intelligence collector.
“Detainee claimed he supervised intelligence operatives in many of the major provinces. Detainee maintained close ties to high-level HIG [Hezb-e-Islami] members. Detainee worked for DynCorp. He provided security on the road between Kabul and Jalalabad. Mohammed Mustafa Sohail, who worked at DynCorp in the administrative section identified detainee as the person who coerced him into giving security information about the US Embassy and Presidential Palace,” the cable reveals.
According to the cable, the ex-President Hamid Karzai personally ordered detainee’s arrest after consultation with the US Ambassador to Afghanistan when information led them to believe detainee was part of a plot to blow up the US Embassy and Presidential complex.
Detainee was a high-ranking HIG operations officer who, under the cover of employment with a U.S.-based company, orchestrated a plan to assassinate Karzai and the US Ambassador by setting off an IED at the newly constructed Presidential compound and US Embassy in Kabul. He recruited personnel to gather intelligence on security for the buildings and attempted to recruit individuals to conduct suicide-bombings at each of the buildings.
Stated that detainee planned to assassinate President Karzai and the U.S. Ambassador. He planned to gain access to the ceremony for the opening of the new buildings by using access badges procured by ISN I 008.
Detainee was subordinate to Kashmir Khan. Khan is second-in-command to Gulbuddin Hekmatyar in the HIG.
Detainee has been identified as Kashmir Khan’s assistant. Detainee and ISN 1288 were identified as HIG Generals. Esatullah Yar US9AF-00977DP (ISN 977) identified detainee as a HIG commander after he viewed detainee’s photograph.
Detainee reported in detail about a meeting of the leaders of the Taliban, HIG and Al-Qaida where they discussed how to regain power in Afghanistan. Hilal Gulbuddin represented the HIG, an unknown Arab represented Osama Bin Laden and Amir Khan Mutaqi represented the Taliban.
A planned meeting between detainee and Hekmatyar in mid-May 2002 did not occur due to an attempt on Hekmatyar’s life.
Detainee is associated with known HIG commanders Qalam and Zardad. Zardad was captured in London, UK. He was tried and convicted of torture. Was captured in Kabul. Detainee, and Zardad were identified as HIG commanders who terrorized, bombed and destroyed Kabul during the Civil War.
Detainee received money from Afghan Defense minister Fahim Khan for information on Gulbuddin Hekmatyar. Khan gave the money to Taj Mohammad who was commander of the
55th Afghan Corps. Taj, in turn, gave the money to detainee for the information on
Hekmatyar. Detainee used money from Taj Mohammed to pay for food, lodging and transportation for the 80 men that he commanded.
Detainee worked for the Afghan National Directorate of Security (NDS). Detainee received his orders from Engineer Arif, the Head of the NDS, Hafiz Khan, and Arifs’ brother in law Haji Sha Agha. Bismullah Khan of the Afghan military provided detainee with three armed security personnel and a letter-authorizing detainee to carry a weapon.
Detainee had a fourteen-member Intelligence collection group. These fourteen men helped detainee gather intelligence for the head of the NDS, Engineer Arif.
On 25 April 03, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar ordered five HIG commanders to travel to Sorubi, to spread anti-American propaganda and recruit members for the HIG.
These commanders were identified as: Anwar Danger, Zardad, Sharif and detainee.
Detainee, Marshal Fahim Khan’s brother-in-law, Sha Agah, and Mast Gul conducted a meeting in the Kashmir region of Pakistan sometime in February 2003. Detainee traveled through Pakistan in a late model Land Cruiser with license plate number.
The “AF” precluded searches at the border and caused patrol officers to be lenient during routine traffic stops.
Detainee reported Mast Gul had the capability to put explosives inside of a Pepsi can to use in a terrorist attack. Detainee claimed the Pepsi bombs are filled with a substance which is likely Tri-Acetate Tri-Peroxide. This type of explosive is becoming more common in Afghanistan and is easy to make. Detainee claimed he saw these bombs being manufactured and Mast Gul himself showed detainee how such a bomb would work.
