Fears Increase that Kuwait May Face Saudi-Style Violence after Clashes...

[Gloria]

From the new World Media Watch up now at http://www.zianet.com/insightanalytical
Tomorrow at Buzzflash.com



3//The Daily Star, Lebanon Wednesday, January 19, 2005

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=2&article_id=11928



FEARS INCREASE THAT KUWAIT MAY FACE SAUDI-STYLE VIOLENCE AFTER CLASHES

Elected Parliament, free press, freedom of speech fail to prevent bloodshed

By Agence France Presse (AFP)

KUWAIT CITY: Kuwait could face a cycle of violence similar to that rocking Saudi Arabia following last week's deadly clashes between security forces and Islamist militants, analysts and Western diplomats said Tuesday. The Gulf state is shocked by the fact that an elected Parliament, a free press and freedom of speech, all lacking in most other Gulf Arab states, have failed to prevent extremists from resorting to violence.



(SNIP)



Adel al-Falah, the undersecretary of Kuwait's Awkaf and Islamic Affairs Ministry, told the Al-Siyassah daily in remarks published Tuesday that the government has earmarked more than $18.7 million to spend on an anti-terror campaign. The effort will include television and radio programs, publications promoting tolerance, and public seminars to discuss the causes of extremism, he reportedly said. Security forces are still hunting for an unspecified number of militants who fled after the clashes, which were strikingly similar to regular shoot-outs between Saudi police and suspected Al-Qaeda militants. The commander of Kuwait's National Guard Sheikh Salem al-Ali Al-Sabah said the suspects were members of Al-Qaeda who had plotted to carry out terrorist bombings in the country. "I believe that the situation is very critical. ... There is a connection with Saudi groups, borders are open and difficult to control," a Western diplomat said. "I can't predict what would happen tomorrow, but it will not end at this. ... I am pessimistic. ... The situation in Iraq, too, is not good and it will impact on Kuwait," the diplomat said, requesting anonymity.



Kuwait has put its security forces on full alert and formed a joint operations room between various security agencies to coordinate raids on suspected hideouts.



Security measures around oil facilities and vital installations have been raised to the maximum and the government is planning to issue new legislation to search for unlicensed arms.

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[bemildred]

1. Dang. Kuwait is a logistics base for the occupation.

Who would have thought anybody would try to stir things up there?

[Fovea]

2. Islamists without borders, that's who...

Really, again we are creating stateless terrorism, and trying to pretend that there are safe harbors.

We have created enemies throughout the world, and we continue to be surprized when they attack anywhere. Behold, the impotence of the Imperial State against the really angry fellow with a trunk full of semitex.