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Eye on sleepers ... Kuwait tightens security
Kuwait's Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammad Sabah Al-Sabah said Monday the country will deal seriously with threats attributed to al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden that were broadcast two days ago. "Any threat to Kuwait is not taken lightly, but seriously because the country was the target of some terror attacks," the minister said in statements carried by the official KUNA news agency. "Kuwait has always dealt seriously with threats especially those targeting the safety of citizens and residents," said Sheikh Mohammad before leaving the country on a tour of Poland, Bulgaria and Spain.
| Guess they caught the message, too... |
A message attributed to bin Laden was broadcast Saturday, threatening to send suicide bombers to the United States and to attack any forces joining the US-led coalition in Iraq, including Kuwait. "Bin Laden represents the misguided group in the Islamic nation and his threat was not limited to Kuwait, but also included Saudi Arabia, Gulf states and other Arab and Islamic countries," Sheikh Mohammad said. Parliament Speaker Jassem Al-Khorafi meanwhile called for taking all necessary precautions whether bin Laden's threats were genuine or not. On Sunday, Kuwaiti Information Minister Mohammad Abdullah Abulhassan said his country received "general warnings" about a possible terror attack, but decided not to issue public alarm bells.
| I can see a Qaeda desire to drive a wedge between Kuwait and the U.S., and if something happens I'm sure their Islamist bloc will point the finger and blame it on their cooperation with us. But it also has to the potential to backfire — we've been a good friend to Kuwait, and so far Binny hasn't given them much. Destruction for the sake of destruction won't win him any friends. |
Posted by: Fred Pruitt 2003-10-21 |
