The British military warned today that Afghanistan's newly returned former king, Mohammad Zahir Shah, was under threat of assassination from killers posing as journalists.
British Royal Marines spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Paul Harradine gave few details of the plot to reporters at Bagram air base just outside Kabul where Zahir Shah returned from 29 years exile in Italy on Thursday.
"There is a threat against the king, Lt Col Harradine said at the base where about 1,500 Royal Commandos are located along with US and other coalition forces.
"They could pose as media to get close enough to him to do it."
He did not identify how British forces learned of the threat or who was behind the plot against the former king who it is hoped will become a force for national unity among Afghanistan's feuding warlords and ethnic groups.
As well as the commandos at Bagram, Britain is also leader of the 18-nation International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) which is responsible for security in the capital.
General Deen Mohammad Joorat, chief of security in Afghanistan's Interior Ministry, said he was unaware of the threat and his forces were confident the king was well-protected.