Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04KUWAIT2742
2004-08-23 14:28:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Kuwait
Cable title:  

LOCAL PRESS TRACKS KUWAITI JIHADIS

Tags:  PTER PREL ASEC KU 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 002742 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARP, DS, S/CT

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/23/2014
TAGS: PTER PREL ASEC KU
SUBJECT: LOCAL PRESS TRACKS KUWAITI JIHADIS

Classified By: CDA MATTHEW TUELLER; REASON 1.4 (B),(D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 002742

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARP, DS, S/CT

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/23/2014
TAGS: PTER PREL ASEC KU
SUBJECT: LOCAL PRESS TRACKS KUWAITI JIHADIS

Classified By: CDA MATTHEW TUELLER; REASON 1.4 (B),(D)


1. (U) SUMMARY: News dailies continue to report on the
still-breaking story of widespread arrests of suspected
Islamic extremists here. The reporting stream began with the
July accounts of the repatriation of four Kuwaiti minors
caught in Syria by local security forces on their way to join
anti-coalition insurgents in Iraq. Based on interrogations
of the four, press reports indicate between 10 and 20
suspected Islamic militants--most of whom are Kuwaiti--have
been apprehended to date since the security sweeps began in
late July. The widespread arrests brought reports of
possible complicity between extremists and Islamist MPs and
calls for re-educating jihadists and further GOK oversight of
Friday sermons. END SUMMARY.

The Jihadis Who Started It All
--------------


2. (U) According to local media, the four Kuwaiti teens at
the heart of the investigation remain in custody and
reportedly gave Kuwaiti security services information
regarding those who recruited them in Kuwait, arranged for
their training, met them in Syria, and sent them to Iraq.
Press reports indicate that this information led to the
sweeps and arrests that began in late July and are currently
ongoing. Early reports indicated that the youths got only as
far as Syria, however, subsequent accounts say they made it
to Fallujah where they were instructed and equipped to
conduct suicide operations. Apparently lacking the stomach
for such violent acts, one of the four reportedly called home
and received family assistance which facilitated their return
to Syria.


3. (U) The father of one of the four minors, Dhari
Al-Zahameel, went public with his complaints telling one
local daily, on July 19, that those who spread extremist
ideas and recruit jihadis are well-known to state security.
He further criticized those he called "air-conditioned
jihadis,"--those who remained in Kuwait while sending others
to do their fighting for them. Press sources claim the four
were influenced to undertake jihad by the scenes from Abu
Ghraib and the siege of Falluja and that such thoughts were
planted through seminars, lessons, and Islamic audio and

video tapes, which glorified suicide attacks and Mujahedeen
adventures. The trip to Syria for all four was reportedly
arranged in Kuwait with the help of Khaled Al-Dossari,
currently a fugitive from Kuwait State Security, who press
sources claim connected them with facilitators in Jahra,
Kuwait, who in turn linked them with a contact named Abu Ali
in Damascus.

Sweeps Net Suspects
--------------


4. (U) On 24 July, newspapers reported a widespread sweep of
militants that netted 12 suspected extremists. The arrests
took place in homes and mosques in rural Jahra and other
unidentified areas. The suspects were reportedly found with
small arms, RPGs, and surveillance information on US military
convoys in the Doha and 7th ring road areas of Kuwait.
Security services are reportedly still looking for the two
suspected ringleaders: Ahmad Al-Mutairi and Khaled Al-Dossari.


5. (U) Reports indicated that the suspected jihadi
facilitator Al-Dossari, who headed a committee dedicated to
protecting the rights of prisoners, had been in contact with
Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Minister Dr. Abdullah Maatooq
Al-Maatooq for two weeks prior to his attempted arrest.
Other reports indicate he was arrested in Morocco several
months ago, repatriated to Kuwait, and was released by Kuwait
State Security at the behest of unknown Islamist MPs. One
daily ran front-page photos of Al-Dossari laughing and
talking with Islamist MPs Awad Barad Al-Enezi and Dr. Walid
Al-Tabtabaei.


6. (U) More raids, primarily in the rural Western and
Southern communities, were reported August 2-4 detailing the
capture of five more suspects while four more suspects were
added to the list of fugitives. Among those arrested is one
identified as "M.A." who is believed to be Al-Dossari's
right-hand man. Additional arrests on 8 and 9 August
included the apprehension of a Saudi soldier, identified as
"Shlash," who was detailed to the Kuwaiti Defense Ministry.
Another Kuwaiti identified as "A." was captured but his Iraqi
partner reportedly escaped, however a large number of
European passports were found in the house where the arrest
took place. "Shlash," later identified as "Al-Dhufari" and
another Kuwaiti, Ahmed Al-Otaibi, were released on 22 August
on KD 300 bail.


7. (U) In early August, the public prosecution began
referring some suspects to the courts and ordering others to
be detained for longer periods. The suspects reportedly fall
into two groups: minors, who are sent to Iraq to conduct
suicide bombings and adults, recruited for more conventional
attacks inside Kuwait. On August 14, three suspects charged
with weapons possession and recruiting jihadis, Mohammed
Al-Asfour, Mohammed Al-Harbi, and Motlaq Al-Ajmi, were
released on KD 300 bail each. The four minors repatriated
from Syria and four other adults were also recently referred
to the public prosecutor's office.


Official Reaction
--------------


8. (U) At an 18 August conference on extremism, Awqaf
Minister Al-Maatooq said that "extremism in Kuwait is
minimal, and we are not underestimating it." Al-Maatooq
further stated publicly that extremists are drawn to the
ideology through the Internet and not through official Muslim
clerics. The Awqaf Ministry also spoke against the preaching
of extremism in Mosques and threatened to fire any preacher
found promoting extremism. An official at the Ministry of
Social Affairs and Labor reported that his office plans to
re-educate those who have been influenced by extremist
teachings. The plan includes lectures, seminars, and other
awareness campaigns.



9. (C) COMMENT: Increasing editorial comment, near-daily
press updates, and Embassy contacts indicate a growing
extremist influence in mosques, schools, and Islamist youth
outreach. Although the numbers of willing militants,
recruiters, and complicit supporters are still unknown, the
list of those involved grows publicly on the pages of the
local dailies with each passing day. In spite of this, the
Government appears unwilling to publicly acknowledge or
meaningfully address this trend. The growing list of
suspected extremists is mostly comprised of Kuwaitis from
rural, tribal, and less affluent areas, which present a more
fertile ground for militant recruiting and indoctrination.
TUELLER