Afghan man who crashed truck where Panetta’s plane landed dies

A top U.S. general in Afghanistan reported that the Afghan man, who crashed a stolen truck at an airfield as U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta’s plane was landing, died on Thursday of extensive burns. The man had a container of fuel in the car, which then ignited after he crashed the truck, on Wednesday, at the British airfield in Helmand province in southern Afghanistan. The truck was headed toward a group of U.S. Marines assembled at the ramp.

U.S. Lieutenant General Curtis Scaparotti, the deputy commander of American forces in Afghanistan, said, “There was a puff of smoke and he came out engulfed in flames. My personal opinion, yes, he had an intent to do harm.” Scaparotti also reported that he did not think the incident was related to Panetta’s arrival because it would have been difficult to know which plane the defense secretary was aboard. Neither Panetta, nor anyone in his party was hurt, albeit a British soldier was injured as he was hit with the truck while trying to stop the driver. Authorities were unable to get any information from the man before he died. He was an interpreter working for the foreign forces, according to Scaparotti.