ATTEMPTED IED ATTACK AT KABUL AIRPORT

C O N F I D E N T I A L KABUL 001412 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/FO SCA/A CENTCOM FOR CG CFC-A FAA FOR JHANCOCK AND RSMITH E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/25/2017 TAGS: EAIR ASEC PTER ECON AF SUBJECT: ATTEMPTED IED ATTACK AT KABUL AIRPORT Classified By: DCM R. NORLAND, REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) ¶1. (C) At approximately 1000 hours local time on 18 April, a pipe bomb was detected aboard a fuel truck shortly after it entered the north (military) gate to Kabul International Airport. The truck had just passed through an Afghan National Army (ANA) checkpoint and, according to witnesses, the driver appeared not to know where he was going. He had pulled up to the sallyport of an INL construction site, then apparently changed his mind and backed up to start in another direction. The truck was reportedly loaded with kerosene or diesel for ground vehicles. An ISAF canine team detected explosive residue on the truck and immediately seized the truck and locked down the area. The canine team had been deployed inside the ANA perimeter in response to intelligence that an IED may be on its way to the airport. On further investigation, the pipe bomb was discovered at arm's length in a fuel hose adjacent to the main fuel tank. An EOD team disposed of the device, which contained 1.5 pounds of high explosives and an electronic remote firing mechanism. Questioning of the driver and helper has indicated initially that both denied awareness of the bomb. ¶2. (U) While the incident was being handled on the ground in Kabul, one inbound Kam Air flight (with US Mission personnel aboard) was diverted to Kandahar for several hours. The airport was cleared for inbound flights by mid-afternoon, and the Kamair flight continued to Kabul later the same day. ¶3. (C) ISAF, which works cooperatively with several GoA agencies to provide security at the airport, has reviewed its security measures in the past 24 hours. It has determined that the measures currently in place have proven effective, thanks to good international cooperation and coordination. ¶4. (U) COMMENT: Kabul International Airport is a key gateway to Afghanistan, and a terrorist incident at the airport could wreak havoc on international community operations here, not to mention Afghan commerce. This incident highlights the precarious security environment in Kabul, which makes the protection of civil aviation here all the more necessary and difficult. Several donors, including the USG, are involved in upgrading security at the airport, but these measures will take some time to come into play. We will continue to push forward and expedite these upgrades. In the meantime, the combination of good intelligence and good cooperation remain indispensable to keep a determined adversary at bay. End comment. WOOD