NYPD Intelligence Report: Coordinated Terrorist Attacks in Kabul

(This report was made available to the National Association of Chiefs of Police by the New York City Police Department's Intelligence Division at One Police Plaza in Manhattan.) The Taliban claimed responsibility for a series of coordinated suicide attacks against government targets in Kabul, Afghanistan.

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According to the Taliban’s Voice of Jihad site, 16 members of its Al-Hamza Martyrdom-Seeking Battalion between the ages of 20-25 and under the leadership of Mullah Musa Kalim carried out the attacks.At least 28 people were killed. 8 attackers wearing explosive vests and armed with automatic rifles were killed ; 21 others were arrested. Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujaheed said attacks were in response to mistreatment of Taliban prisoners in Afghan custody. The attacks came as Special Envoy Richard Holbrooke arrived in Afghanistan to discuss U.S. troop escalation. Reports indicate that prior to the attacks, the cell sent three text messages to handlers in Pakistan. The attackers targeted three buildings around Kabul and the attacks commenced at 10:03 AM local time. Reports indicate 8 attackers were killed; three detonated their devices and five were shot by security forces; another was captured and one may have escaped. Two attackers targeted the prisons north of the city. Witnesses said the two shot their way inside and then detonated their devices, killing five civilians and wounding five. Five attackers entered the heavily fortified Ministry of Security. One was killed by guards outside the gates.The remaining three attackers then proceeded inside and began firing at civilians. Many workers were seen jumping from windows. Those remaining, including the Justice Minister, locked themselves in their offices. The attackers separated and roamed to different floors. The Afghan National Directorate of Security established a cordon around the building. At the same time, Afghan Special Forces supported by a small number of U.S. Special Forces worked their way inside the ministry. Three hours after the initial attack on the Justice Ministry, Afghan forces signaled that the attackers were killed. A brief gun battle erupted and an attacker holed up near a day care center inside the building was killed. Reports indicate that one of the attackers was captured.The last attack took place near the Ministry of Education. Initial reports claimed the lone attacker was killed attempting to gain entry to the building.The Taliban claimed the attacker was targeting the security cordon around the Ministry of Justice near the Ministry of Education. A separate attack took place near the Khorasan Hotel north of Kabul, targeting a convoy of western troops.No casualty numbers have been made available. The attacks were complex and coordinated, mirroring al-Qaeda tactics.Use of small units was very similar to Mumbai attack. However, the number of attacks inside Kabul fell by 50% between 2007-2008. The decrease attributable to improved security. Recent attacks have been increasingly sophisticated and included: • Jan. 2009, Suicide bomber kills five outside German Embassy; • Oct. 2008, Suicide attacker kills five inside Culture Ministry; • July 2008, Suicide car bomber kills more than 50 at Indian Implications for New York • These attacks were not static and were conducted against three different targets. • The early morning timing of the attacks indicates that the attackers wanted a large body count as targets could be expected to be full of employees. • Complex attacks are an al-Qaeda preferred method of operation. • New York City, however, is a different operating environment than Kabul. • The attacks once again show the proclivity to use small unit tactics to breach fortified security areas. • Prompt response by Afghan forces helped minimize casualties (Please Note: This is an edited version of the NYPD's New York Shields Intelligence Report.)

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