TRIALS POSTPONED; FAILAKA SUSPECTS RELEASED ON BAIL

UNCLAS KUWAIT 003311

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KU
SUBJECT: TRIALS POSTPONED; FAILAKA SUSPECTS RELEASED ON BAIL

REF: KUWAIT 4496 (2002) AND PREVIOUS


1. On July 19, Kuwait's Criminal Court announced the
postponement to September 6 of the trial of twelve Kuwaiti
students charged with involvement in the October, 2002
shooting incident which led to the death of U.S. Marine LCPL
Antonio Sledd, on Failaka Island. The Court released two of
the suspects, Sulaiman Jamal and Mohammed Assad, on KD 5,000
bail (approximately USD $ 15,000) each, on the grounds that
neither had any prior criminal record. Both are banned from
traveling outside the State of Kuwait.


2. All of the suspects, who were filmed confessing to their
involvement in the incident during interrogations by Kuwaiti
Security Services (KSS),now claim these confessions were
made under duress.


3. In another adjournment the same day, the Court announced
that the trial of Hakem al-Mutairi, who had been charged with
slander against KSS, would be postponed until October 27.
Mutairi is Secretary General of the Salifist Movement,
otherwise known as the Scientific Salafis.


4. Comment: Post ascribes the delays solely to the summer
holidays, during which many Kuwaitis are outside the country,
rather than any change in GOK policy. We will continue to
monitor developments in these cases.
JONES