Suicide vest blamed for Briton's death in Afghan rescue bid
Monday, 11 October 2010
LONDON Oct 10 (AFP): A British female aid worker in Afghanistan who died during a botched US rescue raid was likely killed by an exploding suicide vest held by one of her captors, a government source in London said Sunday.
Linda Norgrove, 36, was working for US development group DAI when she and three Afghan staff were captured on September 26 while travelling in Kunar, a hotbed of Taliban activity in eastern Afghanistan bordering Pakistan.
An international operation was launched to rescue her, carried out late Friday by US forces, but she died during the attempt.
"All the information we have is that she was killed by an explosion, most likely a suicide vest held by a hostage taker," a British government source told AFP on condition of anonymity.
On Saturday an Afghan intelligence official had suggested that Norgrove was killed by a grenade thrown into the room where she was being held as the US forces approached. The troops then killed all her captors, the official said.
British Foreign Secretary William Hague defended the decision to try to rescue Norgrove, saying it had been her "best chance" of survival.
Linda Norgrove, 36, was working for US development group DAI when she and three Afghan staff were captured on September 26 while travelling in Kunar, a hotbed of Taliban activity in eastern Afghanistan bordering Pakistan.
An international operation was launched to rescue her, carried out late Friday by US forces, but she died during the attempt.
"All the information we have is that she was killed by an explosion, most likely a suicide vest held by a hostage taker," a British government source told AFP on condition of anonymity.
On Saturday an Afghan intelligence official had suggested that Norgrove was killed by a grenade thrown into the room where she was being held as the US forces approached. The troops then killed all her captors, the official said.
British Foreign Secretary William Hague defended the decision to try to rescue Norgrove, saying it had been her "best chance" of survival.