Cameron 'nearly assassinated in Afghanistan'
Friday, 27 August 2010 4:51 PM
By politics.co.uk staff
The prime minister narrowly avoided being assassinated during a recent trip to Afghanistan, it has emerged.
Intercepted communication between Taliban fighters revealed that they were aware which helicopter he was on during a visit to a base in Helmand, according to some media reports.
The trip was quickly averted, with David Cameron's helicopter turned away just ten minutes from the base.
The communication between militants, who are understood to have possessed heat-seeking, shoulder launched missiles, referred to one Chinook carrying the "big commander".
An urgent review into the prime ministers' security on visits to war zones is understood to have been launched, although Downing Street itself never comments on security arrangements.
There is particular concern about pre-trip publicity, which gives the Taliban time to piece together an attack plan using sources within the military and intelligence services.
A news black out is a distinct possibility, with the media only being made aware of trips once they are completed, - the manner adopted during Liam Fox's recent trip to the area.
Alternatively, news conferences with foreign leaders, such as Afghan president Hamid Karzai, may only take place at the very end of the trip to avoid drawing attention to the PM's presence.
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