TERRORISM: SEEKING HOST GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE AGAINST

S E C R E T KUWAIT 004010 E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/02/08 TAGS: PTER KU SUBJECT: TERRORISM: SEEKING HOST GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE AGAINST OSAMA BIN LADEN THREAT TO U.S. FORCES REF: A) KUWAIT 3877, B) STATE 96941 (U) CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE. REASON 1.5 (B),(C) AND (D) (S) CHARGE RAISED USG CONCERNS REGARDING OSAMA BIN LADEN (REF. B) WITH INTERIOR UNDERSECRETARY LTG YOUSEF AL-KHORAFY, JUNE 7. CHARGE NOTED THAT WE TAKE BIN LADEN'S THREATS VERY SERIOUSLY. HE EXPRESSED APPRECIATION FOR THE EXCELLENT FORCE PROTECTION SUPPORT PROVIDED BY KUWAIT, PARTICULARLY THE ENHANCED SECURITY MEASURES AT KUWAIT INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (WHICH IS SEEING PARTICULARLY HEAVY USE NOW AS MANY U.S. MILITARY PERSONNEL REDEPLOY). CHARGE NOTED THAT MOST AIR TRANSPORTS CARRYING U.S. TROOPS USED FLIGHT PATHS TO THE SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT -- HAD KUWAIT TAKEN ANY STEPS TO ADDRESS A POSSIBLE TERRORIST THREAT IN THIS AREA? AL-KHORAFY STATED THAT THE AREA SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT IS SECURE -- THE GOK IS FULLY AWARE OF THE POTENTIAL THREAT AND HAS TAKEN MEASURES TO ADDRESS IT. THE CHARGE ALSO RAISED ROUTE SECURITY FOR U.S. FORCES; AL-KHORAFY REPLIED THAT BOTH KUWAITI AND U.S. FORCE PROTECTION MEASURES HAD BEEN ENHANCED TO ENSURE THAT THE ROADS USED BY U.S. FORCES TO AND FROM THE AIRPORT WERE SECURE. CHARGE AGAIN EXPRESSED OUR APPRECIATION FOR THIS COOPERATION. JEFFREY