World Tribune.com

U.S. delivers 4th terror alert
for Kuwait; 200 arrested

SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Monday, February 21, 2005

ABU DHABI – A major crackdown on the Al Qaida network in Kuwait has foiled several attempts to attack Western military personnel in Kuwait, Western diplomatic sources said.

The sources cited the arrest of nearly 200 suspected insurgents and raids against four strongholds in the sheikdom during January.

"Kuwait has responded very well to warnings of Al Qaida attacks," a diplomat said. "Security forces have been acting on information and intelligence has been collecting new leads."

But the U.S. embassy has warned of additional Al Qaida attacks on Western interests in Kuwait, Middle East Newsline reported. The embassy said Al Qaida and related operatives could "seek softer targets such as public transportation, and public areas where people congregate."

Western diplomats have warned that Al Qaida has been bolstered by insurgents from Iraq and Saudi Arabia. They said additional clashes were expected over the next few weeks.

This was the fourth warning by the embassy during the continuing Kuwaiti crackdown on Al Qaida and its supporters. Kuwaiti authorities were said to be searching for an Al Qaida cell that has planned attacks against Western interests in the sheikdom.

Officials said Al Qaida might be shifting its strategy and preparing to attack so-called soft targets in Kuwait.

On Saturday, Kuwait captured two Al Qaida suspects said to have planned strikes on U.S. interests in the sheikdom. The suspected operatives were identified as Kuwaiti nationals.

Authorities have been searching for a key Al Qaida operative, identified as Mohsen Al Fadli. Last week, a Kuwaiti appeals court cleared Al Fadli in absentia of charges of funding insurgency strikes in neighboring Iraq, although he continues to be sought for other activities.

"If a person who is wanted [by state security] and is armed he may use his weapon," Kuwaiti Interior Minister Nawaf Al Ahmed Al Sabah said. "If he fires we will fire back during a raid."

"It is not impossible that there would be an increase in terrorist activity during the period of the elections in Iraq," the Dutch embassy said in a statement.

A similar warning came from the Japanese embassy in Kuwait. The British government has also warned its nationals in Kuwait of the prospect of an Islamic insurgency attack.

Kuwait has sought to block the flow of funds to Al Qaida insurgents in the sheikdom in an effort to prevent attacks. The government has warned of heavy penalties on charities that send money to groups deemed terrorists.

"We detained and deported a large group of Asians who came in on visit visas to collect donations for unknown foreign organizations," Nasser Al Amr, an official appointed by the Cabinet to monitor the flow of funds to insurgency groups. "The sponsors of these visitors have been penalized because they posed a threat to national security."


Copyright © 2005 East West Services, Inc.

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