Prime Minister David Cameron was forced to abandon a visit to British troops at a front-line base in Afghanistan yesterday amid fears the Taleban were trying to shoot down his helicopter.
Mr Cameron had been due to fly in to the patrol base at Shahzad, in Helmand province, to meet troops from the 1st Battalion Duke of Lancaster's Regiment. But, at the last minute, the RAF Chinook helicopter carrying him and his entourage was diverted to the main operating base in the provincial capital, Lashkar Gah.
A government source said that mobile telephone "chatter" had been intercepted in the area, referring to a possible attempt to bring down a helicopter.
Such calls are not uncommon and it would not on its own lead to the visit being aborted. However, a second call was then intercepted referring to a possible attack on a VIP.
The forward operating base was in an area which was previously an insurgent stronghold and which was heavily contested in the recent Operation Moshtarak offensive in central Helmand.
By: Brant
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