First pictures of British woman aid worker gunned down by Taliban motorbike killers 'for spreading Christianity'

A British woman who was working to better the lives of disabled children in Afghanistan has been shot dead by Taliban gunmen because she was working for a Christian organisation.

Gayle Williams, 34, was minutes from her office as she walked to work in Kabul when she was gunned down by two men on a motorbike.

The Taliban quickly claimed responsibility for the killing, claiming its leaders had ordered the murder of Miss Williams because she was spreading the message of Christianity.

But the British-registered charity she worked for, SERVE Afghanistan, said this was a 'convenient excuse' for the grim killing, which it believes was 'completely opportunistic'.

Miss Williams, from London, had been with the organisation for two-and-a-half years, helping to raise awareness of disabilities in Afghan communities and rehabilitating disabled people in their homes.

Her family, including her mother in London and a sister living in South Africa, were said to be 'distraught' Today.

The sports-mad aid worker was described as a 'lovely girl' who was 'passionate' about her work and loved life by the charity's chairman Mike Lyth.

He explained that Miss Williams had only recently been pulled out of the southern Kandahar province, as it was considered too dangerous to work there.

'She came back about six months ago as we felt it probably wasn't a good idea to stay on there because we heard that the Taliban had been seen coming in and the threat was there so we pulled our people out,' he said.

'Kabul is supposed to be the safest place in Afghanistan.

'Our people are thoroughly trained and Gayle always used to come by different routes to avoid risk.

'She gave herself for those who were disadvantaged - that was her passion. It was people who were marginalised and helping them to get on track which drove her on.

'At 5am I got a phone call and it was dreadful. She was an amazing girl and in some ways being on the board I have a responsibility for the safety of the people working for us so I feel very deeply about this.'

Today Afghanistan's Interior Ministry spokesman, Zemeri Bashary, said Miss Williams had been shot in the body and leg with a pistol before the men fled the scene.

Miss Williams died almost immediately. Blood stains could later be seen on the pavement where she was killed.

Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid later claimed she was killed ‘because she was working for an organisation which was preaching Christianity in Afghanistan’.

'This woman came to Afghanistan to teach Christianity to the people of Afghanistan,’ he said.

'Our (leaders) issued a decree to kill this woman. This morning our people killed her in Kabul.'

Eyewitness Daolad Khan, who was working on a building site directly opposite the murder scene, said: 'They raced up the street and stopped in front of the lady. They took out a gun and shot her on the spot. Then they rode off.'

A close friend of Miss Williams who did not wish to be named, told the Daily Mail: 'Although she will be sorely missed I will see her again. She will be wearing the martyr's crown.

'Knowing Gayle she would not have wanted anything more for her life than to die in His service.'

Miss Williams, who also holds South African citizenship, attended secondary school in Britain before moving to South Africa where she completed a sports degree with a view to working with people with disabilities.

She moved back to London where she worked with people with special needs, before choosing to work with the charity.

Her favourite sports are understood to have included track events and hockey.

The aid group she worked with - fully known as Serving Emergency Relief and Vocational Enterprises - describes itself as a Christian charity registered in Britain.

Its website states that SERVE Afghanistan's purpose is to 'express God's love and bring hope by serving the people of Afghanistan, especially the needy, as we seek to address personal, social and environmental needs'.

Rina Vamberende, a spokeswoman for SERVE in Kabul, said the group was a Christian organization 'but they are definitely not expressing this on purpose. They are here to do NGO (aid) work. It's not the case that they preach, not at all.'

In Afghanistan, proselytizing - converting a person from one belief to another - is prohibited by law and other Christian charities have faced severe hostility.

In mid-August, Taliban militants killed three women working for the U.S. aid group International Rescue Committee while they were driving in Logar, one province south of Kabul.

Last year, a group of 23 South Korean aid workers from a church group were taken hostage in southern Afghanistan. Two were killed and the rest were released.

In 2001, eight international aid workers, including two Americans, were imprisoned and charged with preaching Christianity. They were all freed by Afghan mujahedeen fighters attacking the Taliban after the U.S.-led invasion.

The killing will lead to a growing sense of insecurity in Kabul.

Kidnappings targeting wealthy Afghans have long been a problem, but attacks against Westerners have also increased recently. Embassies, military bases and the United Nations have erected cement barriers to guard against suicide bombings.

'The risks are great and increasing,' said Mr Lyth. There has been a steady increase of this type of thing happening but it has not often happened in Kabul.

'There were three women shot two months ago in a place which we did not think was safe but now it is on the streets of Kabul and that has really hit home to us.'