HALTING THE FLOW OF FOREIGN INSURGENTS TO IRAQ:

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 003290

SIPDIS

FOR NEA/ARPI; LONDON FOR TSOU

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/24/2015
TAGS: PTER PREL KISL KU TERRORISM
SUBJECT: HALTING THE FLOW OF FOREIGN INSURGENTS TO IRAQ:
KUWAIT STRIVES TO BE A CENTER OF ISLAMIC MODERATION

REF: A. STATE 136754

B. KUWAIT 2624

C. KUWAIT 1308

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Matthew H. Tueller for reasons 1.4(b)
and (d)


1. (C) Charge delivered July 25 ref a demarche to Shaykh
Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah, President of the National Security
Bureau (NSB). He explained that the U.S. was approaching
several governments, with an emphasis on Iraq's neighbors, to
underscore concerns about the presence of foreign fighters in
Iraq and the need to prevent their entry, an effort supported
by the Iraqi Transitional Government (ITG). He noted that
many of the young men apprehended by Iraqi, U.S. and
coalition forces were third country nationals drawn to Iraq
by a distorted view of jihad. Not only did they present a
threat to Iraq, particularly the innocent civilians injured
or killed in recent attacks, but also to their home nations
to which they might return with "credentials" earned in Iraq.
Drawing from reftel, he suggested the GOK strengthen its
intelligence- and information-sharing with the U.S. and
others, and also look at imposing travel restrictions or
improving the security of passports or other identity
documents. He also invited GOK recommendations on how to
quell the flow of insurgents to Iraq.

"We're in the Same Boat with You"
--------------


2. (C) Shaykh Sabah Al-Khaled responded that the flow of
insurgents and terrorists to Iraq was an immediate concern.
He said the GOK was focusing its efforts on the problem and
Foreign Minister Shaykh Dr. Mohammed Al-Sabah Al-Salem
Al-Sabah traveled to Syria July 21 for meetings with
President Bashar Al-Asad on border security. According to
Sabah Al-Khaled, Al-Asad claimed the GOS had increased
security on the Syrian side, but complained that there was
not a sufficient Iraqi, American, or coalition presence on
the other side. Sabah Al-Khaled noted that Syria was of
particular interest to the GOK because the few Kuwaitis
apprehended in Iraq had all traveled via Syria. He commented
that a network was in place to facilitate their travel and
said the GOK was concerned they would return to Kuwait, view
it as a "soft target," and launch domestic attacks. As an
example, he cited Nasser Khlaif Al-Enezi, a member of the
Lions of the Peninsula cell uncovered at the beginning of the
year, who had spent four months training in Iraq, getting
there by way of Syria. He returned to Kuwait and immediately
began planning attacks and was killed in January by Kuwait
security forces. Sabah Al-Khaled also informed the Charge
that Kuwait and the ITG had direct talks about border
security. He said Ministry of Interior officials met with
ITG counterparts on the margins of the Istanbul neighbors'
meeting and no complaints were raised. Stating, "We're in
the same boat with you," Sabah Al-Khaled said securing
borders was in the national interest of Iraq's neighbors and
the GOK was ready to cooperate. He added that the GOK
welcomed any available information on Kuwaitis apprehended or
detained in Iraq.

Kuwait to Become Center for Islamic Moderation
-------------- -


3. (C) In addition to improving border control, the Charge
identified stemming terror financing and limiting
inflammatory statements by religious leaders as other ways to
combat the insurgency. Sabah Al-Khaled referred to the GOK
interministerial plan to promote moderation (ref b). He said
the GOK took to heart British Prime Minister Blair's comments
about the "evil of ideology" and was now working with
moderate clerics from Morocco to Jordan to encourage
tolerance. He said it was a long-term plan, but the GOK had
the necessary funding and was committed to see it through.
He further commented that the task was difficult, especially
since extremists used modern technology such as the internet
and text messages to spread hate, messages that resonated
when young people were regularly bombarded with images of
Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib, and the occupied territories. Shaykh
Thamer Al-Sabah, NSB Office Director, noted that two
government-run television stations were airing more public
service announcements on tolerance than advertising. He
added that local mosques had condemned recent attacks in
London, Sharm El-Sheikh, Beirut, and Iraq, stressing that the
insurgency was not Islam. Sabah Al-Khaled said the GOK took
the attacks in London and Sharm El-Sheikh seriously: they
were proof "we are not immune from anything happening in the
neighborhood." The Charge commended GOK efforts and
encouraged the GOK to work with other Arab states on
spreading the importance of tolerance and moderation.

Using Every Law in the Book to Combat Terrorism
-------------- --

4. (C) Responding to the Charge's question about the
adequacy of Kuwaiti laws to try terrorists and their
supporters, Sabah Al-Khaled said new and stronger laws were
needed, but since passing new legislation was a cumbersome
process, the GOK was currently using all existing laws to
"bridge the gap." For example, terror supporter Hamad
Abdullah Al-Ali, would be charged with "damaging the
relationship of Kuwait with its neighbors" and "harming the
security of Kuwait" in the absence of laws to try him for his
suspected involvement in sending jihadis to Iraq.


5. (U) Khartoum and Tripoli: Minimize considered.

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