Leon Panetta avoids suspected attack as he lands in Afghanistan Leon Panetta with the Afghan interior minister Besmullah Mahammadi in Kabul: it is not yet known whether the incident at Helmand province was an attack. Photograph: Massoud Hossaini/AFP/Getty Images A car burst into flames within 100 metres of the US defence secretary today at Nato's massive military base in the heart of Afghanistan. Leon Panetta had flown into Camp Bastion in Helmand province on Wednesday morning to pay an official visit to American forces. Shortly after his plane landed, a car drove onto the runway and burst into flames. Panetta, who was under the protection of US Marines, was unhurt and in no danger, sources said. A man was taken from the burning car and is now being treated at the military hospital in Camp Bastion. An investigation has been launched by the International Security and Assistance Force (ISAF), to determine exactly what happened. In a statement, ISAF said the vehicle was stolen and that one soldier from the coalition had been injured in the incident. Although investigators cannot say for certain this was a terrorist attack, it is one option that cannot be discounted, particularly with tensions running high because of recent atrocities involving US forces. Today's incident comes amid widespread protests and unrest provoked by the killing of 16 civilians by an American soldier over the weekend. Just weeks ago, the White House was forced to apologise after American soldiers were caught burning copies of the Koran. If the incident at Camp Bastion proves to be a terrorist incident, it will raise huge concerns about the security at the base. The size of a small city, most of the base has rigorous security. However, the airfield is more vulnerable because it is outside the main part of the camp. Local workers allowed onto the base are security vetted to try to weed out insurgent infiltrators, though that remains a constant concern for those living at the base.