Reports regarding planned armed attack on IEC commissioner baseless

KABUL (Pajhwok): A ‘misunderstanding’ led to the arrest of a man who allegedly attempted to attack a senior election official in Kabul, Pajhwok has learnt.

The man allegedly wanted to attack Independent Election Commission (IEC) commissioner Maulana Abdullah

False Information:

Zabihullah Sadaat, IEC acting chief spokesperson, told Pajhwok Afghan News on Sunday that an armed motorcyclist intended to attack Maulana Abdullah.

He said bodyguards of Maulana Abdullah arrested the suspect in Sara-e-Shamali locality of Kabul City and handed him over to security forces.

One pistol, two magazines, a knife, a mobile phone, one walki-talki, ID card from Tolo News showing him electrician were recovered from the detained man.

This report was published by some other media outlets as well but Pajhwok Afghan News finding show it is false information.

True information:

Nasrat Rahimi, Ministry of Interior (MoI) spokesman, said Maulana Abdullah’s bodyguards stopped a motorcyclist over suspension of planning to attack Maulana Abdullah.

“When the suspected individual was handed over to security personnel, it was revealed he was a worker of the National Directorate of Security (NDS) and had no plan to attack Abdullah.”

He also rejected reports that ID card of a television network had been recovered from the suspected man.

Rahimi said the detained person was now free and was busy discharging his duties because the allegations against him were wrong.

Tolo News also said the arrested person was not registered in their database and he was an NDS employee.

Fact Check:

Pajhwok Afghan News critically evaluates speculative posts on social media about presidential runners, explains their factual health and place them in different categories – true, not-so-true, half-true, little true and untrue.

Pajhwok’s findings show that based on the above statement, report regarding a planned armed attack on IEC Head Maulana Abdullah is baseless and untrue.

Ahmad Sohaib Hasrat

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