Diplomat ordered out of Afghanistan

ONE of the most senior Irish diplomats working overseas has been given until today to get out of Afghanistan, because of contacts he made with anti-government factions.

Michael Semple, the deputy head of the European Union mission in Afghanistan, who has extensive experience working in the region, was detained by secret police having made contact with representatives of the Taliban in the Helmand province town of Husa Quala.

Last night, Fine Gael foreign affairs spokesman Billy Timmins called on the Minister for Foreign Affairs to ensure that all steps are taken through EU diplomatic channels and through the EU and Irish embassies in Iran to establish the details surrounding the reported proposal to expel from Afghanistan an Irish national working with the EU.