Montreal – The Embassy of Afghanistan in Canada joined by members of the Afghan-Canadian communities in Ottawa and Montreal organized a prayer service on Sunday to remember the victims of last week’s terrorist attack in Baghlan province.

Ambassador Omar Samad and staff of the Embassy were joined by more than 300 community members at the Chateau Royal near Montreal, where a fateha service was held, expressing condolences to the families of the martyrs and all Afghans.

At the end of the prayer service, the Afghan Ambassador spoke to the audience and denounced the “inhuman and barbaric act of terrorism that took the lives of more than 80 Afghans, including 60 school children, six members of Parliament representing five provinces, teachers and a number of innocent citizens.”

He told the audience that preliminary evidence shows that the attack was a suicide bombing, in which ball-bearing material is said to have been used to maximize the impact. Amb. Samad also reiterated the Afghan government’s strong commitment to pursue an investigation and bring the culprits behind this bombing to justice.

The Ambassador lauded the members of Parliament for their work as members of the Lower House’s Economic Committee and for their past services. Expressing the Afghan people’s strong anger, Amb. Samad described the act of terror as “un-Islamic and counter to Afghan norms.”

He urged all Afghan communities overseas to strengthen their ties with their compatriots inside Afghanistan who are in need of help by setting up special humanitarian funds through trusted intermediaries and provide assistances when a crisis takes place. He also cautioned community members not to be distracted by the negative propaganda of certain individuals and groups who do not have the best interests of Afghanistan in mind and do not offer solutions to the country’s problems.

He thanked the organizers, especially the leadership of the Council of Ismaeli Community in Quebec, and the volunteers for their help in making arrangements for the prayer service.

Embassy of Afghanistan

November 11, 2007