Police in Kabul

StarfoxHowl · 09-19-2011, 10:10

The man highlighted in the press briefing wasn't a police officer in the United States, but an officer here in Kabul. This refers to the attack here in Kabul earlier this week.

The briefing reads in part:

One policeman sacrificed his life by holding the suicide bomber to his body. This allowed the remaining security forces to empty the surrounding areas of traffic and cordon the area off to save the lives of numerous civilians.

“This brave young man, Abdul Same, was awarded the Afghan Bravery Medal by President Karzai,” Jacobson said. “He was a true Afghan hero.”

End quote.

The rest of the press briefing can be found here.

http://www.isaf.nato.int/article/isa...r-19-2011.html

***Sam Spade*** · 09-19-2011, 10:56

Truly heroic.

I have to ask, though: Does anyone know why Ofc. Same didn't just turn the bomber's head into pink mist instead?

StarfoxHowl · 09-19-2011, 11:31

I'm not sure if every officer here carries a low powered side arm. The majority though do carry full auto AK-47's. It may have been more expedient to grab the bomber while the civilians were cleared out of the area, than to try and spray a crowded area with full auto fire.

But that would be speculation on my part.

m2hmghb · 09-19-2011, 13:14

Or it could be the bomber had a dead mans switch. Just speculation on my part as well.

msu_grad_121 · 09-19-2011, 13:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by m2hmghb

Or it could be the bomber had a dead mans switch. Just speculation on my part as well.

My first thought as well.

That was a truly selfless, heroic act.

**Hack** · 09-19-2011, 14:37

Heroic. Valiant proof that there are good people in the country, regardless of the others.

Hedo1 · 09-19-2011, 15:34

That is a brave man. RIP.

StarfoxHowl · 09-29-2011, 10:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by m2hmghb

Or it could be the bomber had a dead mans switch. Just speculation on my part as well.

By "dead man's switch" you mean a secondary detonator, you may be right. Ali-baba has a tendency to put observers out away from their targets. Should the actual bomber not trigger the device, the observer can.

m2hmghb · 09-29-2011, 13:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by StarfoxHowl

By "dead man's switch" you mean a secondary detonator, you may be right. Ali-baba has a tendency to put observers out away from their targets. Should the actual bomber not trigger the device, the observer can.

A remote can be wired in reverse so it detonates when it is released instead of when it's pushed. Constant pressure has to be applied to prevent detonation, the hand spasms after being shot or killed thus allowing the trigger to be released.

arodgers · 09-29-2011, 18:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by m2hmghb

A remote can be wired in reverse so it detonates when it is released instead of when it's pushed. Constant pressure has to be applied to prevent detonation, the hand spasms after being shot or killed thus allowing the trigger to be released.

If this were the case he could have easily just let go...

m2hmghb · 09-29-2011, 19:48

"One policeman sacrificed his life by holding the suicide bomber to his body. This allowed the remaining security forces to empty the surrounding areas of traffic and cordon the area off to save the lives of numerous civilians."

Could be the Officer was preventing him from doing this. Yes there could have been/probably was a second person with a remote detonator. We'll never know exactly what happened, all we know is the Officer sacrificed himself to save others.