British aid worker may have been killed by US grenade: Cameron

LONDON - A kidnapped British social worker who died during an operation to free her from kidnappers in Afghanistan may have been killed by a grenade thrown by US troops, Prime Minister David Cameron said Monday.

Cameron, speaking at a news conference in London, said a full joint investigation between the US and Britain had been launched into the circumstances of the death of Linda Norgrove, 36.

However, he stressed that it was not yet certain that Norgrove’s death was caused by allied forces.

It had earlier been reported that Norgrove died after her captors detonated a bomb vest as the US troops attempted to rescue her.

US commander General David Petraeus had informed Downing Street Monday that a review of the rescue operation had uncovered new information suggesting that a grenade detonated by taskforce members may have been to blame, said Cameron.

The decision to mount a rescue operation was made by Foreign Secretary William Hague “after careful consideration” and had his full support, he said.

“I am clear that the best chance of saving Linda’s life was to go ahead, recognising that any operation was fraught with risk for all those involved and success was by no means guaranteed,” said Cameron.

Norgrove, a social worker for a US aid agency, was kidnapped with three Afghans in a remote northeastern province of Kunar Sep 26. She died during a rescue operation Friday. The three Afghans were later released.

Foreign Secretary William Hague said at the weekend that the “responsibility for this tragic outcome rests squarely with the hostage takers”.