An Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman said Sunday that police were investigating the involvement of three Italian nationals detained in southern Afghanistan in connection with an alleged terror plot.
Zamarai Bashary told a press conference that Afghan forces seized two suicide vests, pistols and hand grenades from an Italian-funded hospital in Lashkargah, the provincial capital of Helmand on Saturday, dpa reported.
"We are investigating the case," he said, but did not give further details.
The provincial governor and his spokesman said Saturday that the joint Afghan forces arrested three Italian medical workers and six of their Afghan colleagues in connection with an alleged plot to carry out suicide attacks in the province and to kill Glub Mangal, the governor.
The provincial authorities said the team had received a half million dollars from the Taliban leadership, based in Quetta, Pakistan, to carry out the attacks.
"I don't reject what the (Helmand) governor had said, nor do I confirm them as ministry spokesman," Bashary said Sunday.
He said the Italian medical team was "doing remarkable service for the Afghan people, especially the war victims."
The Italian-funded medical team has been working in Afghanistan for several years. The hospital treats victims of the war and operated during the Taliban regime - 1996 to late 2001 - in Afghanistan.
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