Oddly enough, the perpetrators were actually Islamic jihadists. “Blast at mosque kills provincial governor in northern Afghanistan,” by Ivan Watson for CNN, October 8 (thanks to all who sent this in):
Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) — An anti-insurgent provincial governor who had survived Taliban assassination attempts was among 20 people who died Friday in an explosion at a northern Afghan mosque during prayers, a government official said.
The blast in Afghanistan’s Takhar province killed Kunduz provincial governor Mohammad Omar, who recently sounded an alarm about the threat of insurgents during an interview with CNN.
The bombing also wounded 35 others, with most of those killed and injured engaged in prayer, said Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman Zamarai Bashari.
“It is a terrible incident,” said Bashari, who said police were trying to find out more details about the strike and who is responsible.
The NATO-led command condemned the attack, saying that “it’s unconscionable that anyone would attack a mosque.”
“It’s clear the insurgents have no respect for the most holy of Islamic places,” said U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Greg Smith, spokesman for NATO’s International Security Assistance Force, or ISAF.
The U.S. Embassy in Kabul deplored the act, saying “whoever was responsible” for striking a house of worship “has demonstrated a clear lack of disregard for the Afghan people and for the peaceful religion they practice.”
The mosque was bloodied and its roof was shattered, eyewitness Mujib Rahman said, but there were different early accounts on how the strike was carried out.
Gen. Daoud Daoud, commander of the Afghan Interior Ministry’s northern zone, said a suicide attacker apparently sitting next to the governor detonated a bomb.
Faiz Mohammad Powhidi, a Takhar governor spokesman, told CNN that a pre-placed mine exploded. He explained that governor had been visiting his family and attending Friday prayers weekly in his native province of Takhar, which borders Kunduz.
Omar, who was a Pashtun, had survived several assassination attempts by the Taliban, and his brother was slain a few months ago….