(U) RECRUITING KUWAITI KIDS TO FIGHT IN IRAQ

S E C R E T KUWAIT 001504 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/IR, NEA/ARN E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/05/2014 TAGS: PTER KISL ASEC MOPS IZ KU SUBJECT: (U) RECRUITING KUWAITI KIDS TO FIGHT IN IRAQ Classified By: CDA FRANK URBANCIC; REASON 1.4 (B, D). ¶1. (U) The local Arabic-language daily Al-Qabas reported May 5 that a Kuwaiti had filed a complaint with his embassy in Damascus, accusing Hamed al-Ali of recruiting his son to go to Iraq via Syria. The story also reports that, according to the Kuwaiti parent, the youths who are recruited will spend time at "training camps" in Syria before entering Iraq. Additionally, recruitees are reportedly being advised to shave their beards and wear western clothes to deflect suspicion. The article said Kuwait State Security was investigating the matter. ¶2. (U) Shaykh Hamed al-Ali ("Shaykh" being an honorific denoting status as a religious teacher) is a Kuwaiti and former spokesman for the Salafi Movement (aka "Scientific Salafis"). Kuwaiti authorities detained him recently after his website was found linked to a site showing how to make explosives. Al-Ali also made a public comment to the effect that Kuwaitis did not have to go to Iraq for Jihad, the enemy could be found in Kuwait. He was released after 4 days -- the maximum a suspect can be held without being referred to the prosecutor. ¶3. (C) The Chairman of the National Security Bureau, Shaykh Sabah al-Khaled al-Hamad al-Sabah, told visiting Deputy National Security Advisor Fran Townsend May 4 that a Kuwaiti in Syria had complained to the Embassy in Damascus May 2 that his son and a friend, both 16-17 years old, were in Syria to go fight in Iraq against the coalition. The man asked the GOK's help to have Syrian authorities stop the boys. The SARG had not yet responded (it had only been approached the previous day). Prime Minister Shaykh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Jaber al-Sabah mentioned Hamed al-Ali to Ms. Townsend in a separate meeting the same day (septel),claiming that he would be put on trial -- apparently in connection with his earlier detention, as the PM did not mention the Syrian angle. URBANCIC