August 25, 2002
International peacekeepers said on Sunday Afghan police had found a store of chemicals in a house in Kabul formerly occupied by a Saudi non-governmental organization, and local media reports called it a terrorist laboratory. "Some containers and documents have been found by the police authorities," said Major James Kelly, a spokesman for the International Security Assistance Force in Kabul. "Reports suggest possibly 16 types of chemicals."
Kelly said he had been handed Afghan intelligence reports about the discovery, which was made on Saturday afternoon. He said the substances had not yet been identified, but they had been stored in sealed containers. Afghan intelligence officials refused to comment on Sunday about the discovery. Kelly said the building had apparently been occupied at one stage by a Saudi Arabian NGO. The group is on a U.S. government blacklist for suspected links to Osama bin Laden, the man blamed for masterminding the September 11 attacks on U.S. cities.
The government-controlled Arman-e-Millie Daily newspaper carried a report from the official Bakhtar News Agency saying the discovery included 36 types of chemicals, explosive materials, fuses, laboratory equipment and some "terroristic guide books." It said the laboratory was found in a residence in the Wazir Akbar Khan diplomatic area of Kabul. It said the building had been used by an Arab national who headed the Saudi Al Wafa Humanitarian Organization during the rule of the former Taliban militia.
According to Afghan authorities, Al Wafa provided aid to the Taliban and to bin Laden's al Qaeda network. The paper did not say if any arrests had been made. Armed men raided the Al Wafa office soon after the Taliban was driven from power by U.S. air attacks and local opposition forces last year. Intelligence authorities said then they had seized documents that showed links between Al Wafa, al Qaeda and the Taliban.
More Information on NGOs
More Information on Credibility and Legitimacy of NGOs
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