Taliban threatens Prince Harry with death, capture
CTVNews.ca Staff
Date: Sat. Feb. 11 2012 7:08 PM ET
The Taliban says it is gunning for Prince Harry just days after Britain's defence ministry confirmed that the 27-year-old royal will redeploy to Afghanistan.
A spokesperson for the insurgent group warned Britain's Daily Telegraph that it plans to capture or kill the prince, who is third in line to the British throne.
"A prince should use his position to help people, not to come and kill people around the world," Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid told the paper.
The chilling warning came the same week the prince completed a rigorous, 18-month training program to fly Apache attack helicopters. Prince Harry graduated as the best co-pilot gunner after training stints in California, Arizona and Britain.
The prince, who is known in the military as Capt. Wales, will fly air missions in Helmand province in southern Afghanistan. Ministry of Defence sources told the Telegraph he will serve a four-month mission. It's not known when he'll deploy.
As a co-pilot gunner, he'll operate Hellfire missiles and a chain gun.
In an interview with the Telegraph, the prince took the Taliban warning in stride.
"To be honest . . . I supposed I would be in that position anyway just being a part of that sort of family," the unshaven prince said in a videotaped interview from the Arizona training centre. "There's threats coming in all the time."
The insurgent Taliban group told the British newspaper that it will use "all its power" to kill or capture the royal soldier. Mujahid said if the prince was captured he would be treated like any other prisoner.
The prince spent more than two months as an infantry officer in Helmand in 2008, but his deployment was never made public. The secrecy was to protect him and his fellow soldiers from becoming targets. His tour was cut short when the media learned his whereabouts.
A blackout wasn't necessary this time, according to British officials, because he will be less vulnerable as a pilot.
The prince's deployment will be subject to review by senior generals and even the Prime Minister, the Telegraph report said.
In an interview with the British paper, the prince said he relished the opportunity to return to Afghanistan.
"Anyone who says they don't enjoy the Army is mad," he said. "You can spend a week hating it and the next week it could be the best thing in the world and the best job you could ever, ever wish for. It has got so much to offer."
The prince said he knows he's a target and worries his stature could endanger fellow troops.
"I would never want to put someone else's life in danger when they have to sit next to the bullet magnet," he said. "But if I'm wanted, if I'm needed, then I will serve my country as I signed up to do. "
