Abdul Jabar Sabet: making threats and serving ultimatums to the President

Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s volatile chief law man, Abdul Jabar Sabet, will likely give up his Attorney General’s post in the coming days, forced to do so after a series of controversies that culminated in the violent April 17th police raid on the country’s most popular TV station, Tolo TV.

Sabet this weekend has complained of interference in his self-proclaimed “jehad against corruption.” However observers here say the Attorney General’s latest outburst is intended to distract attention from the president’s growing impatience with his antics.

The Attorney General is said to be furious that Karzai has forbidden him to arrest General Aminullah Amerkhel, who last week returned from exile to a rapturous welcome from police and security officials in Kabul. The respected former police chief at Kabul Airport, Amerkhel had evaded Sabet’s attempts to arrest and jail him on unspecified allegations last autumn.

The General is now in the protection of the Speaker of the Senate, Sibgatullah Mojadidi, and is expected to be returned to duty in a senior post. Amerkhel tells skyreporter that he intends to sue Sabet, and wants to return to work against the heroin smuggling gangs that have flourished since his removal from office last October.

In turn, Sabet has reportedly issued an ultimatum to President Karzai. Either he must be free to continue his prosecution of Amerkhel, or he will resign.

An aide to Karzai, asked about the situation, replied that if such a resignation is tendered, it will likely not be refused. He added that the Attorney General’s rash and bumbling ways have too often caused embarrassment for the president.

Monday on skyreporter: a new film report updating the aftermath of the violent police raid on Tolo TV.