CHARGES AGAINST MILITARY OFFICER TERROR SUSPECTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUWAIT 001309 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARPI E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/29/2015 TAGS: PTER PGOV PREL MOPS KU TERRORISM SUBJECT: CHARGES AGAINST MILITARY OFFICER TERROR SUSPECTS DROPPED REF: KUWAIT 990 Classified By: Ambassador Richard LeBaron for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (U) Reportedly citing the absence of a crime, Kuwaiti Public Prosecutors on March 29 dropped charges against two former active-duty Kuwait Army soldiers who were detained on January 3 for allegedly plotting attacks against U.S. military assets in Kuwait. The pair, released on bail in mid-February (reftel),were among fifteen Kuwaiti military personnel detained in January, and have since been discharged from the military. The other 13 were released almost immediately for lack of evidence. (Although not confirmed, the two soldiers are believed to be LTC Fahd Al-Mutairi and Cpt. Talal Al-Enezi.) ¶2. (U) Mohammed Al-Mutairi, the defense lawyer for one of the released suspects, blamed "security officials who acted on weak information and rumors" for erroneously detaining his client. Although Mutairi said that investigations into the allegations had been "permanently halted," Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Shaykh Jaber Mubarak Al-Sabah told local dailies March 29 that the army's judicial department "is still assessing the case." ¶3. (C) Comment: The apparent exhoneration of military personnel suspected of planning attacks against U.S. forces is deeply disturbing. Post is requesting a full explanation of both cases from GOK authorities, and will continue to closely monitor the actions of the GOK on this issue. End Comment. ********************************************* Visit Embassy Kuwait's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ You can also access this site through the State Department's Classified SIPRNET website ********************************************* LEBARON