KUWAIT MEDIA REACTION, MAY 29-JUNE 4: TERRORISM; DE-

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KUWAIT 002452

SIPDIS

STATE FOR INR/R/MR, NEA/ARP, NEA/PPD, PA, INR/NESA,
IIP/G/NEA-SA, INR/B
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE
LONDON FOR GOLDRICH, PARIS FOR O'FRIEL
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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KU KDMR
SUBJECT: KUWAIT MEDIA REACTION, MAY 29-JUNE 4: TERRORISM; DE-
BAATHIFICATION; ROAD MAP PEACE PLAN; IRAQ


SUMMARY: Wire services report that a Kuwaiti court sentenced
Sami al-Mutairi to death on June 4 for the January 21, 2003
murder of American civilian military contractor Michael
Pouliot. Two other men were each sentenced to three years in
prison for providing the weapons used in the attack, with a
third sentenced in absentia for training al-Mutairi in the
use of the weapons.

Liberal commentary on terrorism continues to emphasize the
necessity of social, political and economic change to combat
terrorism. In sharp contrast, an ultra-conservative
commentator sees the US-led war on terror as "terrorism"
against Muslims, and demands "that our governments not
comply with or respond to such slogans, and take care of
combating terrorism ourselves."

One writer rails against any relations with the "Zionist
entity," and argues that without Jihad, "Palestine will be
lost." A liberal commentator argues that many Baath party
members joined the party out of necessity and should not be
excluded from the task of rebuilding Iraq.

One prominent daily reports that an ongoing investigation by
Saudi and Kuwaiti authorities may link Kuwaitis to the
bombings of three Western housing compounds on May 13. END
SUMMARY.



2. News Stories: On June 4, a Kuwaiti court sentenced Sami
al-Mutairi to death for the murder of American civilian
military contractor Michael Pouliot on January 21, 2003, and
the attempted murder of Pouliot's colleague. Two other men
were each sentenced to three years in prison for providing
the weapons used in the attack, with a third sentenced in
absentia for training al-Mutairi in the use of the weapons.

Al-Rai Al-Aam reports on June 1 that Kuwaiti police have
apprehended two Kuwaitis suspected of belonging to Al-Qaeda
as part of the investigation into the Riyadh terrorist
bombings. On June 2, the paper reports that one of the
Riyadh suicide attackers may have been a Kuwaiti member of
Al-Qaeda and that DNA testing will be used to verify whether
this is the case.

On June 1, Al-Rai Al-Aam reports that a Kuwaiti National
Guardsman protecting the US Embassy "lost control of his
weapon" and discharged four rounds during his guard shift.
He was immediately apprehended and taken in for questioning.
(Note: as media report notes, incident appears to have been
an accident.)

On May 30, Al-Watan front-pages Secretary Rumsfeld's Wall
Street Journal op/ed, "Core Principles for a Free Iraq."

A Member of Parliament accuses the government of allocating
KD 50 million (approx. USD 150 million) to support
Parliamentary candidates loyal to the government and to
defeat Islamist candidates in the July National Assembly
election, Al-Qabas and Al-Seyassa report on their June 1
front pages.

All newspapers report on June 2 that a decree by the Amir
has officially set the date of the Parliamentary elections
for July 5, 2003.

Al-Anba and Al-Qabas report on June 1 that the Minister of
Communications has given marine companies 72 hours to submit
their proposals on how to solve the problem of unloading
shipments in Kuwaiti ports that are "overcrowded by US
ships." Sources indicate the Council of Ministers will also
discuss the issue.

In a poll of 300 citizens, 98% of respondents said that the
Arab League is a failure, Al-Anba front pages on May 31.

Editorials:



3. "The Baath Party"
Liberal Mohammad Musaed Al-Saleh wrote in independent Al-
Qabas (6/01): "During Saddam's rule, many Iraqi citizens
were forced to join the Baath party. Consequently, the
American-British rulers of Iraq should not consider all
Baathists to be their enemies. The American decision to let
go those Ministry and army employees that were members of
the Baath party will create a crisis for the American and
British occupation authorities. If they are sincere in their
temporary occupation, they must involve all competent Iraqis
in running the country."



4. "To Not Lose Our Path to Palestine"
Essam Al-Fulaij wrote in independent Al-Watan (5/29): "We
must stress that we should not give up the Palestinian
territories. [O]ur conflict with the Jews is a cultural-
ideological conflict. Resisting normalization with the
Jewish enemy is very important for the Jews are the Umma's
[Muslim nation's] primary enemy. Jihad is the only option we
have as otherwise we will lose Palestine."



5. "How Can We Regain the Initiative?"
Dr. Sadeq Al-Bassam wrote in independent Al-Seyassah (6/3):
"The impotence of Arab and Islamic regimes has led some
young men to adopt new alternatives to end the feeling of
humiliation which has hit the Arab world. Confronting
violence with violence will only generate fire that could
engulf everything. We have to work on regaining the
initiative in combating terrorism by allowing the people to
participate in political, economic and social decisions.
Moreover, the governments must also allow more freedom and
respect of other opinions and to distribute its fortunes
equally among people instead of distributing it to certain
people in the regime."



6. "Terrorism In the War Against Terrorism"
Islamist Salafi Dr. Wael Al-Hassawi wrote in independent Al-
Rai Al-Aam (6/3): "The war on terrorism led by the great
power nations against small countries has increased the
agitation of people in many countries of the world and led
them to adopt the policy of violence. Muslims around the
world receive the greatest share of blame [for terrorism]
and are most often detained. The simplest thing we can do in
our country is to demonstrate that we reject this unjust war
[against terrorism] and to demand that our governments not
comply with or respond to such slogans, and take care of
combating terrorism ourselves."



7. "Religious Media: A New Joke"
Liberal Political Science professor, Dr. Ahmed Al-Baghdadi
wrote in independent Al-Seyassa (6/2): "It is not the right
of the Minister of Information to make his ministry a tool
of the religious [Islamist] current due to his personal
relations with this group. It is the Minister's duty to make
television and radio programs suitable to all orientations,
tastes, and views. The Minister is therefore blatantly
biased when he allows all programs, religious or non-
religious, to go according to Islamists' mood swings. He
should be held responsible for exploiting official media for
the benefit of one sector of society-- namely, Islamic
groups who are not even related to Islam, but represent
their own interests."


JONES