Afghanistans intelligence agencies said on Wednesday that they have thwarted two major attacks in Kabul in the past 20 days- a plot to assassinate the countrys first vice-president and a bombing near the presidents palace. Latifullah Mashal, spokesman for the agencies, said authorities arrested five people who had been plotting a shooting and suicide bomb attack at the home of First Vice-President Marshal Mohammad Qasim Fahim. They were arrested when they were very close to attacking, Mr. Mashal told a news conference, adding that the five were members of the Haqqani network, an al-Qaiea-linked militant group based in neighbouring Pakistan. He would not give an exact timing of the arrests or the planned attack, citing security reasons. The other foiled attack was a planned car or suicide bombing near President Hamid Karzais palace, Mr. Mashal said. The two suspects arrested in that case had been involved in rocket attacks against NATO and coalition forces in the past, he added.