NATO, Afghan police seize 250 tons of suspected bomb-making material

November 10, 2009 NATO has said 250 tons of suspected bomb-making material has been seized in a raid in the city of Kandahar, a Taliban stronghold in southern Afghanistan.

Military officials say Afghan National Police and NATO forces recovered 227 kilograms of ammonium nitrate fertilizer and 5,000 components used to make roadside bombs in the raid on Sunday, on a warehouse in Kandahar.

A NATO statement today noted that fifteen people were detained in the raid and 4,000 bags of fertilizer were found in a nearby compound.

"This find will undoubtedly save many lives and points to the increasing capability of the Afghan national security forces," said a spokesman for the NATO International Security Assistance Force, Lieutenant Colonel Todd Vician, in a statement.

Ammonium nitrate fertilizer is a key ingredient for making explosives and is often found in roadside bombs.