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Subscribe to RSSAccording to reports citing local officials in Afghanistan, a female suicide bomber attacked a minibus near Kabul, killing at least nine people in what may be the deadliest act of retribution over an anti-Islam film produced in the U.S. NBC's Richard Engel reports.
Updated at 9:25 a.m. ET: A suicide bomber attacked a minibus near Kabul airport in Afghanistan on Tuesday, killing at least nine people including eight foreign civilians working for an international aviation company, according to reports citing local officials.
Afghan militants claimed responsibility, saying the attack was carried out by a young female in retaliation for a film mocking the Prophet Muhammad.
The South African International Affairs Ministry said that eight of the victims were South African citizens.
Spokesman Nelson Kgwete told The Associated Press that the victims are believed to have been employed by a South African aviation company based at Rand Airport in Johannesburg.
Earlier, Reuters reported that Russians were also among the foreign workers killed. Unidentified police sources put the total death toll higher than the local officials, saying 12 had died.
The attack underscored growing anger in Afghanistan over the film, which has enraged much of the Muslim world and led to the killing last week of the U.S. ambassador to Libya and three other Americans.
US-Afghan military operations suspended after attacks
Thousands of protesters clashed with police in the Afghan capital on Monday, burning cars and hurling rocks at security forces in the worst outbreak of demonstration-related violence since rioting in February over the inadvertent burning of Qurans by U.S. soldiers.
The death toll from the suicide attack was the highest on foreigners in the city since April 2011 when an Afghan air force pilot gunned down eight U.S. military flight instructors and an American civilian adviser after an argument at Kabul International Airport.
Crowds of angry protesters showed up in Kabul, Afghanistan and Jakarta, Indonesia. The violent uprising followed a deadly weekend marking the deaths of eight International Security Assistance Force members. NBC's Atia Abawi reports.
Haroon Zarghoon, a spokesman for Hizb-i-Islami -- a radical militant group that shares some of the Taliban's anti-foreigner, anti-government aims -- told the Associated Press that the attack was carried out by a 22-year-old woman named Fatima. However, the AP noted that suicide bombings carried out by women are extremely rare in Afghanistan — and few if any women drive cars.
Another spokesman for the group, Zubair Sediqqi, told Reuters: "A woman wearing a suicide vest blew herself up in response to the anti-Islam video."
Gen. Abdul Zahir, director of the local Criminal Investigation Department, told NBC News there was no way of confirming yet if the bomber was a male or female.
Reuters cited unidentified police sources saying the bomber was a woman, possibly driving a Toyota Corolla car rigged with explosives, which she triggered.
Explosion happened in few minutes ago in Kabulinstagr.am/p/Psz8TXQIOn/
— Massoud Hossaini (@Massoud151) September 18, 2012
Local photojournalist Massoud Hossaini who posted a picture of the blast scene on Twitter, said all the foreign bodies he saw were "without any uniform."
Protesters in Kabul and several other Asian cities have vented their fury over the film at the United States, blaming it for what they see as an attack on Islam. The outcry saddles President Barack Obama with an unexpected foreign policy headache as he campaigns for re-election in November. His administration has condemned the film as reprehensible and disgusting.
In response to the violence in Benghazi, Libya, where U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans were killed, and elsewhere lastweek, the United States has sent ships, extra troops and specialforces to protect U.S. interests and citizens in the Middle East, while a number of its embassies have evacuated staff and are on high alert for trouble.
The identity of those directly responsible for the film remains unclear.
Clips posted online since July have been attributed to a man named Sam Bacile, which two people connected with the film have said was probably an alias.
Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, 55, a Coptic Christian widely linked to the film in media reports, was questioned in California on Saturday by U.S. authorities investigating possible violations of his probation for a bank fraud conviction.
NBC News producer Akbar Shinwari in Kabul, Reuters and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
More world stories from NBC News:
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- NBC's Ayman Mohyeldin in Benghazi answers questions about consulate attack
- In Niger, child marriage on rise due to hunger
- Obama: US has 'profound respect for people of all faiths'
- Clashes after South Africa cops raid miners' hostels to seize weapons
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If those who practice the Muslim religion had any legitimacy, they'd go after the perpetrator(s) and not those who were uninvolved. But they practice typical mob hysteria which fuels their mindless behavior.
For the love of Pete! I think of what I would do if some foreign nation was tramping around my country. Leave the camel jockey towel heads alone to their own demise. They want to kill each other? Fine...their "god" can sort them out. Meanwhile Rome burns at home.
What has our "meddling" gained us?...Satan, demonic, infidels, invaders, uninvited guests. Live and let live I say! They want their caliphate? Let them have it. Leave Israel alone...take north Africa all the way to Pakistan and have on big happy Islamic nation. We utilize our own resources here (buying us at least 100+ years while getting our act together for viable/cost-effective, sensible alternative energies (hell use dirty wast water, separate the H from the 2O (they build hydrogen bombs that kick ass)...and run you cars off water. Whatever! But we need to get the muck out of that sandbox over their that is about as pleasant as 3 year old kitty litter! Give fair warning (before kicking the useless UN out and having some other country play host for the next 50 years.... get Robert DeNiro to dress up again like Al Capone..."somebody mess with me?....I will mess with them." Live and let live I say, but the next act of terrorism on our soil...game, set match. Holy hell rains from the skies. Screw "collateral damage" since they apparently don't give a hoot.
And why not tell us how you REALLY feel!!
Actually pretty good. A little disjointed, emotional, but it gets the point across!!
turn off the money and embargo all of the muslim world , if they can't deal with that there is always the nuclear option . perhaps the nuclear option should be used first though and save some time .
the clarity of reality right now is so very blurred. War is raging across the Globe and the balance of good vs evil is out of line. It is time to start looking into the mirror and questioning the groups who you r loyal to. Open your minds and your eyes will see the true enemies.
What a bunch of @!$%#s.
Turn off the money to these @!$%#s.
there just a bunch of nut jobs. they are looking for every excuse to kill and start riots and if anybody in there right mind thinks the movie clip is the base of all this BS is a moron (like our current administration)
Term...yup. Ya think 27 times during Dem Convention, spiking the football and gloating "we KILLED OBL!" might have had something to do with it? Not to mention the timing....no it wasn't a coincidence all hell broke loose on 9-11 anniversary...not to mention intercepted chatter BEFORE that childish video an 8 yr old could have created came out...and where was Barry? Campaigning his ass off! Won't hear any of this from lame stream media. Oh by the way; did you hear the actual aftermath of what happened to that ambassador? Body found and dragged out of the rubble into the streets, but now it's been reported the poor bastard was still conscious and got sodomized before they finished him off.
Won't here that either on Obama News Networks.
Makes me puke. And the hypnotized zombies continue to swallow the swill. PS; seen 2016? jeez.
a bomb dropped today and killed an estimated 100,000 people and injured thousands. the U S Airforce claim responsibility in response to civilians killed in a suicide bomb near the airport in Kabul. the U S Airforce said there will be more bomb droppings in and around the middle east if innocents continue to be killed by pieces of garbage known as the Hassen Ben-sober gang. more news after this ......
This whole incident regarding anger over a Utube film made by some relatively obscure person who happens to live in the USA is frightening. A segment of the Islamic world is now expanding their need to enforce Sharia law wih the goal of a world wide Caliphate state to the worldwide web. This raises some scary questions. Will anybody dare stop them? Will the end game of all this be that mocking, or even critiquing Islam on-line, soon be banned? Will the Sharia law radicals stop at Utube videos? Freedom of speech anybody?
Tundrahombre: Don't believe the hype about that utube video being the cause of these riots in the mid-east - it's NOT true - that video was released months ago - if that were the reason for this, these riots would have happened then. Don't just listen to main-lame stream media (or as someone put it "Obama News Networks) - google it yourself or listen to a variety of news sources. This is becoming a problem - Obama News Media and liberal compadres of Obama keep repeating that it was the video that did it until it becomes "fact"; when, in fact, it is Obama's weak/failed foriegn policies that are doing it. Seriously, Byounce/Jacee/Letterman are more important than meeting with Israel? Yep - Obama snubbed Israel who wanted to meet because Obama couldn't keep away from celebrities nor his continuous compaigning. God help us if he is re-elected!
Get our people out of Afghanistan, Libya, and Egypt, and everywhere else these barbarians are a threat to them.
These creatures should be left alone. Fenced in and guarded to prevent them leaving. Then given plenty of weapons to kill each other. The ones left might be a bit human. If not, get rid of them too. A happy ending.
OMG! Muslims Shouting "Allahu Akbar" Stone Christians in Dearborn, Michigan (Video)
Two Words: Carpet Bomb
That should take care of them.
wake up America( well the tax paying ones) march on washington, demand we get out of any muslim country and demand no more foreign aid.welfare 2 yrs max, not generations . time to take our country back, Put God back in, muslims out .obama should be hanged drawn and quartered.including his money splurging bitch .
That flim, if you care to call it that, was the match that lit the fuse and while it would appear that it's slow in burning, the charge behind it will shortly blow up in most of our faces. Having watched this begin from some time ago, it may be that by the time the actual conflict begins, we're probably going to find ourselves with more than one front and more than one problem. Find a safe zone, and hunker down. The sh*t is about to hit the fan.
We don't have much longer to go untill we vote the inept obama out. Everything obama does turns into a turd, end even though the mainstream media polishes it up real good it's still a turd.
Sick and tired of muslims using this film as a way to riot, why don't they stop their bs, and be honest. They enjoy discourse, they dislike anyone that is not muslim, think we should all curl up and die, and that is not going to happen. Our President should not be cow-towing to these muslims. They are criminal and should be treated as such. They just solidify that Islam has a violent past and a violent future. I never thought of muslim religion as any but a religion, but they have convinced me that they hide their real intent. I will never trust a muslim, and I am sure their are good muslims out their, but your do not hear their voices denouncing this violent which just goes to show you that its probably okay with them. It is easy to make enemies for lack of support for peace, I rest my case.
Whoever said you can live with these people peacefully and with confidence is a traitor and a short sighted idiot !! I hope the rest of the world will get it through their minds it is a daunting impossible task and unite to contain this menace into their own countries before they keep spreading and ruin everywhere else..!!!!
We need to cut off all ties with the muslims, if you are a muslim and live in the U.S. you need to learn English and follow our laws not shria. If you want shria then we will gladly take everything you have acquired and sell it and send you home to which ever country you come from and keep the rest, he-- you hate us anyway. Stop buying the oil, stop selling/giving them food and ammunition. Bring our military home and build the "Great Wall of American on our southern border to keep out everyone unless they have a real passport and are not from any muslim country. Tell odumbo to stop taking our dollars to give to his brothers(muslims) in any country, let them kill each other.
There is no reason to kill people over this stupid movie. When a movie comes out here or show that shows Christ in a bad light, people don't go to it or pan it. Depending on how you see things Christians do not go to the street and kill innocent people. Those that would do such a thing are mindless robots that cannot think for themselves. To kill due to a very bad movie is stupid. I do not believe that God enjoys watching this. Man killing Man over a stupid movie. Wow , try explaining that to God . Does not make sense does it?
Peaceful, tolerant Muslems - Dearborn, MI (and CHILDREN, no less!) - the Christians were doing nothing but standing with signs - not interfering or verbally assaulting the festival goers - just doing thier God-given rights as US citizens to "protest" with Christian signs - BUT - mob rules the day with the peaceful muslems going on the war path (how odd...):
It makes such little sense to kill yourself so that you can kill other people that you don't even know and have done nothing to you. I'd like to be present when this nitwit meets Allah and tries to explain what he was trying to do.
All true believers should strap bombs to themselves and set them off at the same time all over the world. There would be some collateral damage, but the end result would be wonderful - no more muslims.
REMEMBER- When it comes down to the nitty gritty and an armed muslim is telling you to convert to Islam, do so! Infiltrate their ranks and cut the cancer away from the inside (for those stupid morons amongst us,that means kill them).