SECURITY BUREAU CHIEF SAYS KUWAIT TO BE EXAMPLE OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 000464 SIPDIS SIPDIS FOR NEA/ARPI AND S/CT; NSC FOR TOWNSEND E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/07/2016 TAGS: PTER PREL KU SUBJECT: SECURITY BUREAU CHIEF SAYS KUWAIT TO BE EXAMPLE OF ISLAMIC MODERATION; PRAISES CT COOPERATION WITH NEIGHBORS REF: A. KUWAIT 430 ¶B. 05 KUWAIT 5283 Classified By: Ambassador Richard LeBaron for reasons 1.4(b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary: National Security Bureau President Shaykh Sabah Al-Khaled, responding to the Ambassador's concerns that the GOK was not as focused as before on CT efforts, reviewed a five-year plan developed by the Ministry of Awqaf to promote moderation and exert control over Kuwaiti mosques. The GOK was training imams and also had OIC support to establish an international center for Islamic moderation. He cited as a challenge for the GOK the need to balance its efforts to promote moderation with the need to maintain domestic security in a dangerous region. He welcomed the proposed "Iraq and Neighbors" conference on CT issues and said strengthening regional cooperation was also a GOK goal. End Summary. Amb Urges Security Bureau Chief to Maintain Pressure on CT -------------- -------------- ¶2. (C) During a February 8 meeting, the Ambassador expressed concern to Kuwait National Security Bureau President Shaykh Sabah Al-Khaled that it appeared to outside observers that momentum had diminished in the GOK's CT efforts. He encouraged the GOK official to provide additional information on GOK efforts, particularly those designed to encourage moderation among youth. He stressed the importance of a sustained focus on CT and a comprehensive strategy that targeted not only known terrorists, but also the educational environments that shaped extremist thought and the financial networks that supported them. He reasserted the U.S. commitment to fighting terrorism and restated U.S. interest in working with Kuwait bilaterally or through regional organizations. Revised Role for Awqaf Ministry in War on Terror -------------- --- ¶3. (C) Explaining that the war on terror would last for years, Shaykh Sabah Al-Khaled said the GOK had not lessened its focus adding, "it's not on the battlefield that you win, but in the ideas." A significant part of its strategy included five-year plans developed by the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs and the Ministry of Education, both of which require cabinet approval. (Note: He shared with the Ambassador an English version of the Awqaf plan; details of the plan will be reported septel. End note.) He told the Ambassador that in the past, the Awqaf Ministry had no real role. Now, with over 1,150 mosques in Kuwait and the regional threat of extremist views, Awqaf had assumed a very important role in controlling the mosques and those who lead them. The Ministry trained 30 imams in the past six months and received a bigger budget for additional training. Awqaf's mission was to promote moderation and encourage those with differing views to use the political process instead of resorting to violence. He added that Kuwait had support from the Organization of the Islamic Conference to establish a center for Islamic moderation in Kuwait. The GOK hoped to attract international participation and serve the greater Muslim community. Awqaf had also organized a conference in Moscow and was planning conferences to be held in LONDON and New York to open a dialogue among the various Muslim groups. ¶4. (C) Shaykh Sabah Al-Khaled commented that it was a challenge to balance its moderation efforts with the need to address very real security threats. As an example, he cited the current Shi'a holidays and the need to secure areas where Kuwaiti Shiites were celebrating. He referred to the Danish cartoon controversy as an excuse for extremists to sow discord. He condemned Kuwaiti professor Hamad Al-Ali for taking advantage of the current situation to offer rationales for jihad against coalition troops (ref A). He added that the lack of a government in Iraq, Hamas' electoral success, and the continuing threat of Hizbollah and Iran were all security concerns for the GOK. GOK: CT Conference Important for Regional Cooperation -------------- -------------- ¶5. (C) S/CT Deputy Coordinator Gerald Feierstein provided an overview of the proposed March 8 "Iraq and Neighbors Conference" for U.S. chiefs of mission and said the gathering would allow ambassadors and their senior staff members to examine common CT issues and devise a joint strategy. He said the foreign fighter network and its financing would be KUWAIT 00000464 002 OF 002 at the top of the agenda. Shaykh Sabah Al-Khaled welcomed the initiative and shared U.S. concerns about the return home of fighters trained in Iraq. He said the GOK had limited information on how many Kuwaitis went to Iraq and reported that the leader of the Peninsula Lions cell had spent 10 months training in Iraq before returning to Kuwait. He further supported U.S. efforts to encourage regional cooperation on CT and said bilaterally, the GOK had excellent relations with Turkey, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. Syria, the "door to Iraq" for foreign fighters, only recently allowed the GOK to establish a Kuwait State Security (KSS) presence and was much less cooperative. He had high praise for GOK-Saudi CT cooperation which was facilitated by close personal relations among the Kuwaiti and Saudi counterparts. He lauded the triumvirate of Prince Bandar, Prince Muhammed bin Nayef, and Intelligence Chief Prince Magrin. He added that Prince Bandar had a vision for regional security which included Iraq, Iran, and Yemen along with the GCC. ********************************************* 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