US embassy cable - 04KUWAIT1504

S E C R E T KUWAIT 001504 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/IR, NEA/ARN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/05/2014 
TAGS: PTER, KISL, ASEC, MOPS, IZ, KU 
SUBJECT: (U) RECRUITING KUWAITI KIDS TO FIGHT IN IRAQ 
 
Classified By: CDA FRANK URBANCIC; REASON 1.4 (B, D). 
 
1.  (U) The local Arabic-language daily Al-Qabas reported May 
5 that a Kuwaiti had filed a complaint with his embassy in 
Damascus, accusing Hamed al-Ali of recruiting his son to go 
to Iraq via Syria.  The story also reports that, according to 
the Kuwaiti parent, the youths who are recruited will spend 
time at \"training camps\" in Syria before entering Iraq. 
Additionally, recruitees are reportedly being advised to 
shave their beards and wear western clothes to deflect 
suspicion.  The article said Kuwait State Security was 
investigating the matter. 
 
2.  (U) Shaykh Hamed al-Ali (\"Shaykh\" being an honorific 
denoting status as a religious teacher) is a Kuwaiti and 
former spokesman for the Salafi Movement (aka \"Scientific 
Salafis\").  Kuwaiti authorities detained him recently after 
his website was found linked to a site showing how to make 
explosives.  Al-Ali also made a public comment to the effect 
that Kuwaitis did not have to go to Iraq for Jihad, the enemy 
could be found in Kuwait.  He was released after 4 days -- 
the maximum a suspect can be held without being referred to 
the prosecutor. 
 
3.  (C) The Chairman of the National Security Bureau, Shaykh 
Sabah al-Khaled al-Hamad al-Sabah, told visiting Deputy 
National Security Advisor Fran Townsend May 4 that a Kuwaiti 
in Syria had complained to the Embassy in Damascus May 2 that 
his son and a friend, both 16-17 years old, were in Syria to 
go fight in Iraq against the coalition.  The man asked the 
GOK\'s help to have Syrian authorities stop the boys.  The 
SARG had not yet responded (it had only been approached the 
previous day).  Prime Minister Shaykh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Jaber 
al-Sabah mentioned Hamed al-Ali to Ms. Townsend in a separate 
meeting the same day (septel), claiming that he would be put 
on trial -- apparently in connection with his earlier 
detention, as the PM did not mention the Syrian angle. 
URBANCIC