George,

Just thought you might be interested in what a typical threat warning looks like here. Chicken Street is where we go to buy carpets and other things. It's about 3 blocks from my house. We got one of these a couple days ago, and the follow up was a "we got em" email -- the suspect car was indeed loaded and was successfully defused. Life's a blast here!

-More later,

Jim Heilman (electronic mail, September 13, 2004)

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Sent: Monday, September 13, 2004 5:17 PM
Subject: FW: Warning: Chicken Street RC/VBIED

Threat: We have information from very reliable sources indicating that insurgents are targeting Westerners in Chicken Street using Remote Controlled Improvised Explosive Devices (RCIED), and Improvised Explosive Devices Vehicle Born (VBIED).

Assessment:

1) Though the information indicates that the attack will take place in a very specific part of the City the threat is by no means limited to that area. The possibility that insurgents will strike other western targets in the city if/when their efforts are frustrated in Chicken Street is very good.

2) The community should be aware that security forces in Kabul will not necessarily be able to stop all attacks especially since the number of attempted attacks is clearly increasing.

3) Given that the previous warning specified NGOs as the target we must consider that NGOs could very well be a favored western target in this case.

4) Westerners are now specifically being targeted in Kabul. This threat has ushered a new era of even greater insecurity in Kabul.

Advise: Chicken Street should be avoided. Agencies in the area should take the most stringent security measures possible. Travel within the city should be kept to a minimum. ALL NGOs in the City should take necessary precautions. Guards must be notified and appreciate this specific threat.

The Afghanistan NGO Security Office does not guarantee the accuracy of the information provided. The speedy provision of security information is our primary concern. The information contained within this message is a result of analysis of information received from a number of relevant sources. ANSO will continuously seek to expeditiously provide information to the NGO community and attempt to clarify the accuracy of information later. Any UN Security or other security agency contributed information that is passed by this office is not an indication of concurrence or agreement of information or analysis or of expressed support for the policies of those agencies who have provided information that may be relevant to the NGO community.

Media Note: No press publication is authorised without prior consent of the ANSO Project manager.

Editor's Note: Jim Heilman says, "George, I talked to Nick Downie (the signatory of the threat message[and Program Manager of Afghanistan NGO Security Office) and he okay'ed it for you to use on the website. Cheers, Jim Heilman (electronic mail, September 14, 2004)