ABU DHABI — Kuwait has drafted anti-terror legislation meant to restrict non-government clerics and increase penalties on those who carry illegal weapons.

The bill has been submitted by two parliamentarians — Abdul Wahab Al Haroun and Yusef Al Zalzalah — as part of a response to the sheikdom's offensive against Al Qaida. In January 2005, security forces clashed with Al Qaida insurgents in and around Kuwait City in which at least 12 people were killed.

Under the legislation, Islamic edicts by non-government clerics would be prohibited and the spread of hate would be outlawed. The bill would also ban the designation of any person or group as infidel, an act which could target them for execution by Muslims.

The bill would also establish a supreme council for Islamic decrees which would comprise of scholars and specialists. The council would be the only body permitted to issue Islamic edicts.

[In a related development, Germany and Kuwait have agreed to bolster intelligence exchange on Islamic insurgency groups. The agreement was reached during a two-day visit by German Interior Minister Otto Schily to Kuwait.]

The parliamentarians have also addressed the issue of unlicensed weapons in Kuwait. Under the legislation, those who carry weapons with the intention of using them against either civilians or security forces would be sentenced to 15 years.

The 17-article draft also bans the use of mosques to preach violence or undermine Kuwait's relations with other countries. The reference was to the use of mosques as forums to incite against the U.S. and British military presence in Kuwait.

The 50-member parliament must approve the legislation. It would then be sent to Emir Sabah Al Sabah for signing.

On Monday, Oman sentenced 31 convicted Islamic insurgents to up to 20 years in jail for plotting to overthrow the pro-Western sultanate. The defendants were identified as leading members of Omani society, including government officials, professors and Islamic preachers.