EXTREMIST REHABILITATION PROGRAMS (C-CT8-00002) -

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 000155 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR NEA/ARP AND INR/I E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/04/2018 TAGS: PINR KISL PGOV PINS PTER SOCI KU SUBJECT: EXTREMIST REHABILITATION PROGRAMS (C-CT8-00002) - KUWAIT REF: A. KUWAIT 0079 ¶B. STATE 8750 ¶C. STATE 8051 ¶D. KUWAIT COUNTRY REPORT ON TERRORISM 2007 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Alan G. Misenheimer for reasons 1.4 (b ) and (d) ¶1. (S) The Government of Kuwait (GOK) does not currently have a rehabilitation program for jihadists or extremists. This analysis is based on post's conversations with the Ministry of Interior Kuwait State Security (KSS),the National Security Bureau (NSB),the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Legal Department, the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, and private individuals. Furthermore, recent comments by Kuwait's Ambassador to NEA A/S Welch on this subject (ref B) reinforce post's analysis. ¶2. (S) Historically, the GOK has demonstrated a strong preference for co-optation of local extremists. Under this policy, the GOK often turns a blind eye to a certain level of terrorist-facilitation activity - including illicit fund raising under the auspices of local charities - in exchange for a tacit understanding that terror attacks will not take place in Kuwait. As such, the GOK is reluctant to publicly acknowledge the activities of terrorists or their facilitators in Kuwait, even in the face of UNSC designations (ref A). Furthermore, Kuwait's judiciary has been lenient in its sentencings, Kuwait lacks comprehensive anti-terror legislation, and the GOK has not implemented sufficient security measures to monitor and restrict the activities of former Guantanamo detainees released to Kuwaiti custody (ref D). ¶3. (U) The Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic affairs developed a "moderation" program in 2005, partly in response to the January 2005 Peninsula Lions attack in Kuwait. However, the aim of this program is to devise ways to prevent Kuwaiti youth from becoming extremists; it does not seek to reform those already engaged in terrorist activity. The program offers optional training for Kuwaiti and foreign Sunni and Shi'a imams, monitors the content of religious sermons, promotes moderation curricula in primary and secondary schools and sponsors cultural programs to raise awareness of moderate Islam. (Note: according to Awqaf, 75% of imams in Kuwait are foreign nationals, predominantly from Egypt and Syria. End Note.) ¶4. (C) According to Naser Al-Ajmi, Secretary of the Higher Committee to Promote Moderation, the Ministry of Awqaf completed a study in 2007 entitled the "Code of Values" that attempts to understand the roots of extremism and counter its influence. However, according to Al-Ajmi, the Ministry has taken no steps to act on this report's conclusions and has no formalized program to deal with individuals once they become extremists. The Ministry of Awqaf instead defers to the Ministry of Interior (MOI) to deal with extremists via the legal system. (Note: The GOK has no comprehensive anti-terror legislation in force, but rather relies on existing criminal legislation to prosecute terrorists and their facilitators. End Note.) ¶5. (C) On January 31, Poloff met with Dr. Bashir Al-Rashidi, a prominent businessman and psychologist who worked for the GOK to treat post-traumatic stress disorder after the 1991 Gulf War. (Bio note: Dr. Al-Rashidi received a Ph.D. in psychology from Michigan State University. End note). Dr. Al-Rashidi said he recently presented a terrorist rehabilitation program proposal to the GOK but lamented that the GOK rejected it out-of-hand. Al-Rashidi noted that Kuwait has not yet embraced the concept of mental health treatment and has taken no steps to address this aspect of extremism. ¶6. (S) Kuwait's Ambassador to the United States, Shaykh Salem Al Sabah, noted in a January 25 conversation with NEA A/S Welch that the GOK will study the Saudi Guantanamo detainee rehabilitation program as a model for a future Kuwaiti program (ref B). The Ambassador's comments indicate the GOK has at least been sensitized to USG focus on this issue. Post will continue to monitor and report on any developments on this front. ********************************************* * For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/?cable s Visit Kuwait's Classified Website: KUWAIT 00000155 002 OF 002 http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ ********************************************* * MISENHEIMER