American Security Worker Accused of Killing Afghan

Guards for a U.S. security firm obstructed an investigation of allegations that one of the company’s supervisors had killed his interpreter, an Afghan police chief said Friday.

Noor Ahmad, 37, was shot in the head Tuesday at the compound of his employer, U.S. Protection & Investigations, in the village of Tut in Farah province, police and provincial officials said.

The American who is accused of shooting him reportedly worked as the local supervisor for USPI, a Houston-based company that provides security for foreign contract workers in Afghanistan.

“An American guy shot his translator. Next morning, a helicopter came and took the foreigner to Kabul,” Alauddin Noorzai, a provincial police chief, said.

Noorzai said he sent a criminal investigation team to the USPI compound after the shooting but security guards blocked the men from entering. Bill Dupre, USPI’s country operations manager in Kabul, said the company had no comment.

Ahmad’s relatives said the American had shot the Afghan during a late-night party over a personal grievance.

Syed Jan Agha, a local militia commander who is on USPI’s payroll, said Ahmad had a reputation for aggressive behavior and drunkenness.

Foreigners working on civilian projects are generally subject to Afghan law, but the status of security contractors is unclear.