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Afghan Killed 9 Americans After Disarming Them

Pilot shot them after argument; brother denies Taliban link

By John Johnson, Newser Staff

Posted Apr 27, 2011 4:04 PM CDT

(Newser) – The grim details are taking shape in the wake of today's shooting at Kabul's airport. All nine victims were Americans—eight US troops and one contractor—who were training members of Afghanistan's fledgling air force. The shooter, an Afghan pilot, got into an argument with the trainers, left the room, then re-entered and forced the Americans to remove their weapons, reports ABC News. When they were disarmed, he shot them with a US-provided semi-automatic. He then apparently fatally shot himself.

The Taliban immediately claimed responsibility and said it was yet another infiltrator attack. But that looks unlikely, notes AP, which talked to the pilot's brother. "He was under economic pressures and recently he sold his house. He was not in a normal frame of mind because of these pressures," said the brother. "He loved his people and his country. He had no link with Taliban or al-Qaeda."

Afghan soldiers patrol outside a gateway to Kabul's airport following today's shooting. (AP Photo/Musadeq Sadeq)

An Afghan soldier patrols outside a gateway to Kabul's airport. (AP Photo/Musadeq Sadeq)

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 18 comments

stormy7

Apr 27, 2011 7:37 PM CDT

Payback's a bitch. We are still occupying and murdering the Afghans and they have every right to kill the enemy intruders. End the fucking wars and stop the killing!

bird

Apr 27, 2011 7:18 PM CDT

Send Obama there for a year of public service, see how he likes it.

nobody666

Apr 27, 2011 7:18 PM CDT

Er, I'm not sure, er, but it seems to me, er, he didn't love Americans, er, what do you think ? It must have been just an accident, he happened to pull the trigger because he believed he was finally clutching some serious money to solve his economic problems under duress. Or he didn't get my point in the Sixth Gospel, Serious Entertainment, or he just wanted to, er, contribute to all that Slaughter Catalogue 1993-2011 agenda of mine, not so literally, of course. I'm perplexed.

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Afghan Killed 9 Americans After Disarming Them

Pilot shot them after argument; brother denies Taliban link

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

Afghanistan • NATO • Taliban • US military

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