The Italian foreign minister urged Afghan authorities to "rapidly" carry out a probe into three Italians detained after weapons were found in a hospital run by Italian charity Emergency.

“Very dangerous weapons were found in a hospital run by Emergency, and so we would like to know the truth and rapidly,” Franco Frattini said in telephone remarks broadcast on RAI public television.

“We are waiting for the results of the inquiry and as fast as possible.” Afghan authorities detained three Italians and six others Saturday after suicide vests, home-made bombs, guns and ammunition were found at a hospital in Lashkar Gah, Helmand province, run by the Italian charity Emergency.

Helmand governor Gulab Mangal told reporters on Saturday that the nine were planning attacks in Lashkar Gah and that “the number one target was myself”.

“It’s clear that the accusations are very serious. They need to be verified and the rights of the accused need to be respected... I pray with all my heart that the accusations are not true,” Frattini said.

He said that he had called his Afghan counterpart to get “guarantees from him about the respect of detained people’s rights.” Emergency, a non-governmental organisation created in 1994 in Milan, has operated in Afghanistan since 1999 and has run hospitals in Lashkar Gah since 2003, according to its website.