Afghan Interpreter Dies After Running Down Marines At Airport As U.S. Defense Secretary Arrives

REPORTING FROM KABUL, AFGHANISTAN — An Afghan interpreter who breached the security perimeter at a southern Afghanistan airbase Wednesday tried to run over a squad of U.S. Marines assembled to meet Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta’s plane, an American military official said.

The man, who worked for Western troops but has not been named, died early Thursday because of  extensive burns, Lt. Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti told reporters.

After the incident, U.S. officials initially said it wasn’t clear whether it was a premeditated attack

But Scaparrotti said Thursday he believed that the interpreter, who died before he could be questioned, was carrying out an attack when he stole a pickup, drove onto the runway ramp as Panetta’s plane was landing, and emerged from his vehicle in flames.

{snip} . . . Aides to Panetta withheld public news about the incident for nine hours Wednesday and insisted Panetta was never in danger.      MORE>>>

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