Officials in Afghanistan say they have arrested two government employees for suspected links to an April 27 attack on the life of President Hamid Karzai.

Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak told reporters Sunday that one of the suspects worked for the defense ministry and another for the interior ministry.

The Associated Press quotes Wardak as saying the defense ministry employee was a weapons expert and the two AK-47s used by the attackers were government-issued.

Intelligence chief Amrullah Saleh also spoke to reporters today, saying it is clear that al-Qaida terrorists based in Pakistan had a role in the attack.

The April 27 attack in Kabul did not harm Mr. Karzai, but three bystanders died. Security forces said they killed three attackers on the scene. The Taliban has claimed responsibility.

Afghan officials said at least seven people died Wednesday when security forces raided a house in Kabul where suspects in the attack were hiding.

Saleh said one of those killed, known as Humayun, had been directly involved in the attack on the president. He said Humayun also had been involved in a suicide attack on a Kabul hotel in January that killed eight people.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, and Reuters.