2 arrested in attempt on Karzai

Authorities have arrested two Afghan government employees for alleged involvement in a plot to kill President Hamid Karzai, top officials said.

But the government maintained that Al Qaeda-linked militants based in Pakistan masterminded the April 27 attack in Kabul. Karzai escaped, but three others were killed.

Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak identified one of the arrested government employees by a single name, Jawed, and said he had worked at a Defense Ministry factory. He allegedly provided two government-issued AK-47 assault rifles and a machine gun to the three gunmen.

Wardak identified the second as a police nurse, Zalmay, who was allegedly in contact with one of the key plot leaders.