Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
NBC
June 25, 2008 NBC Nightly News, 7:00 PM
BRIAN WILLIAMS: We’re back with NBC News “In Depth” tonight: The war in Afghanistan. We were just there covering it the week before last and we had planned to bring you this report from my NBC News colleague Martin Fletcher. Inside the Mind: The motivation of a suicide bomber enraged by something done by American soldiers.
Here’s Martin’s report from Kabul.
MARTIN FLETCHER: This is the Afghan secret service detention center in Kabul and if anyone doubts the harm done to America by American soldiers insulting Islam, even if they think it’s just a joke, they should meet Abdel Marouk.
ABDEL MAROUK [Afghan Detainee]: The Taliban showed me the video of an American soldier shooting at the Quran. I felt very bad and right then I decided to be a suicide bomber.
FLETCHER: This is the Quran used for target practice by an American sniper in Iraq, 14 bullet holes.
[To Marouk.] Excuse me saying this, but it’s a very important holy book, but it’s a book. Why did you feel you had to kill people for that?
MAROUK: I decided that I must show them that Islam is also very powerful. I cried because I memorized half the Quran and why they are doing such a thing against Islam? And I decided that I must become a suicide attacker.
FLETCHER: Marouk said he belongs to al Qaeda in Pakistan. He said eight al Qaeda friends saw the video with him and all swore to become suicide bombers.
[To Marouk.] Who was your target? Who did you want to kill?
MAROUK: Foreigners, but my driver knew who was the target.
FLETCHER: The target, according to Afghani intelligence: American construction workers. The weapon: a car bomb with 600 pounds of explosives. Afghani agents arrested Maroof and his accomplices just before they got the bomb.
[To Marouk.] What will happen to you now, do you think?
MAROUK: I hope that they will let me work for the government as a policeman.
FLETCHER: Marouk left and in walked Hamza, his accomplice, in handcuffs. He claimed innocence. Hamza said an Arab trained on the camera for two days in a madrassa in Pakistan. His job: to film on the explosion.
[To Hamza.] Did you want to kill the Americans?
HAMZA [Afghan Detainee]: This is not true. This was not our plan to kill American soldiers. This is the first time I heard such a thing.
FLETCHER: Hamza said it was all a big mistake. He said, “I promise I will never do such a thing again.” “If they release me, I will go home and help my parents,” he said. “They’re old.”
A young man who didn’t understand the consequences of his actions – just like the American soldier who shot the Quran.
Martin Fletcher, NBC News, Kabul, Afghanistan.
June 25, 2008 NBC Nightly News, 7:00 PM
BRIAN WILLIAMS: We’re back with NBC News “In Depth” tonight: The war in Afghanistan. We were just there covering it the week before last and we had planned to bring you this report from my NBC News colleague Martin Fletcher. Inside the Mind: The motivation of a suicide bomber enraged by something done by American soldiers.
Here’s Martin’s report from Kabul.
MARTIN FLETCHER: This is the Afghan secret service detention center in Kabul and if anyone doubts the harm done to America by American soldiers insulting Islam, even if they think it’s just a joke, they should meet Abdel Marouk.
ABDEL MAROUK [Afghan Detainee]: The Taliban showed me the video of an American soldier shooting at the Quran. I felt very bad and right then I decided to be a suicide bomber.
FLETCHER: This is the Quran used for target practice by an American sniper in Iraq, 14 bullet holes.
[To Marouk.] Excuse me saying this, but it’s a very important holy book, but it’s a book. Why did you feel you had to kill people for that?
MAROUK: I decided that I must show them that Islam is also very powerful. I cried because I memorized half the Quran and why they are doing such a thing against Islam? And I decided that I must become a suicide attacker.
FLETCHER: Marouk said he belongs to al Qaeda in Pakistan. He said eight al Qaeda friends saw the video with him and all swore to become suicide bombers.
[To Marouk.] Who was your target? Who did you want to kill?
MAROUK: Foreigners, but my driver knew who was the target.
FLETCHER: The target, according to Afghani intelligence: American construction workers. The weapon: a car bomb with 600 pounds of explosives. Afghani agents arrested Maroof and his accomplices just before they got the bomb.
[To Marouk.] What will happen to you now, do you think?
MAROUK: I hope that they will let me work for the government as a policeman.
FLETCHER: Marouk left and in walked Hamza, his accomplice, in handcuffs. He claimed innocence. Hamza said an Arab trained on the camera for two days in a madrassa in Pakistan. His job: to film on the explosion.
[To Hamza.] Did you want to kill the Americans?
HAMZA [Afghan Detainee]: This is not true. This was not our plan to kill American soldiers. This is the first time I heard such a thing.
FLETCHER: Hamza said it was all a big mistake. He said, “I promise I will never do such a thing again.” “If they release me, I will go home and help my parents,” he said. “They’re old.”
A young man who didn’t understand the consequences of his actions – just like the American soldier who shot the Quran.
Martin Fletcher, NBC News, Kabul, Afghanistan.