US contractor (trucker) says he fought off attack in Kabul

[Turborama]

Source: AP

Armed with an AK-47, an American contract worker said Wednesday he held off militants attacking a guest house in Kabul, allowing about two dozen U.N. election workers to escape.

John Turner, a trucker from Kansas City, Mo., described opening fire at the assailants as the guests he was protecting huddled in a laundry room at the back of the building.

"I am armed. I carry an AK-47 and I kept firing it to keep the attackers away from the group I was guarding," he said. He was shooting from the entrance of the laundry room. The group later jumped over a back wall to take refuge in a house behind the guest house, he said.

About 40 people were staying at the Bakhtar guest house in the heart of the Afghan capital during the dawn attack. The Taliban has claimed responsibility.

The gunmen in police uniforms killed 12 people, including six U.N. staff. Three of the attackers also died.

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iQxgYteV5obcwotQ56-4qn2398OAD9BK6N3G1

[Ian David]

1. "The gunmen in police uniforms" were probably policemen. n/t

[architect359]

2. ...or they probably weren't. n/t

[Ian David]

3. Or maybe half of them were. n/t

[Sabriel]

4. Let me get this straight

If I'm working in another country, I'm allowed to carry an AK-47 and use it however I see fit?

[Posteritatis]

5. Not quite seeing that second claim in the article. (nt)

[proteus_lives]

6. If I were working in Afghanistan, I sure as hell would.

[harkadog]

7. I was in Afghanistan in 2002 and the answer to your question is yes.

I hope you got it straight.