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The attempted attack took place during Cameron's first visit to Afghanistan as prime minister in June.
He had been due to fly in to the patrol base at Shahzad in Helmand province to meet troops from the 1st Battalion Duke of Lancaster's Regiment.
But his RAF Chinook helicopter changed course at the last minute to the main operating base in the provincial capital, Lashkar Gah.
The decision was made following an intelligence suggestion that insurgents might be planning to bring down a helicopter.
Although no shots were fired, the Times reported that two Taliban conversations about an attack were intercepted, the second containing precise information about the helicopter carrying the prime minister.
Further information then indicated a possible attack on a VIP.
At that point the commander of Taskforce Helmand, Brigadier Richard Felton – who was due to meet Cameron at the base – decided it was too dangerous for the visit to continue and it was called off.
Cameron, who had been in Kabul holding a televised news conference with the Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, appeared unruffled by the incident at the time. Aides said he was "disappointed" that he was unable to meet soldiers at Shahzad.
But senior military figures believe the planned attack was more advanced than previously admitted, it was claimed in the Times.
Guardian Unlimited |
