November 10, 2007	Saturday	Shawwal 28, 1428

KABUL: Afghanistan’s insurgent Taliban group threatened on Friday to “punish” justice officials if more prisoners were executed after 15 criminals went before the firing squad in October.

The hardliners have said some of those killed in the second known state execution of the post-Taliban government were from its own ranks.

The government has said the 15 were convicted of crimes, including murder and kidnapping.

The Taliban said in a statement on their website that they had learned more prisoners were to be put to death.

The group warn judges and prosecutors issuing such sentences to Taliban that they will definitely be punished, the Pasthu-language statement said.

It said that they “have already begun investigations to identify those involved.”

The executions raised concern among Afghanistan’s Western allies, with some calling for President Hamid Karzai, who had enacted an unofficial moratorium, to halt the practice.

Observers said Karzai had given the go-ahead to the executions in a show of strength and in a bid to stop a surge in crime.—AFP