US embassy cable - 01KUWAIT3757

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KUWAITIS DENOUNCE BIN LADEN

Identifier: 01KUWAIT3757
Wikileaks: View 01KUWAIT3757 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Embassy Kuwait
Created: 2001-12-15 14:29:00
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Tags: PREL PTER KISL KU
Redacted: This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.
P 151429Z DEC 01
FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0466
INFO ISLAMIC CONFERENCE COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
UNCLAS KUWAIT 003757 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/PPD 
LONDON FOR GOLDRICH, PARIS FOR O'FRIEL 
USCINCCENT FOR POLAD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PTER, KISL, KU 
SUBJECT: KUWAITIS DENOUNCE BIN LADEN 
 

1.  KUWAITI GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND OPINION LEADERS 
DENOUNCED THE BIN LADEN TAPE RELEASED BY THE PENTAGON 
DECEMBER 13. 
 
2.  ASKED HIS VIEW OF THE TAPE, KUWAIT'S ACTING PRIME 
MINISTER AND FOREIGN MINISTER SHAYKH SABAH SAID: "EVERYONE 
WHO HEARS SUCH THINGS WILL DEFINITELY BE SHOCKED WHEN HE 
HEARS THE ONE WHO MURDERS PEOPLE LAUGHING AND HAPPY. 
THEREFORE, WE REJECT SUCH THINGS."  SHAYKH SABAH MADE THIS 
STATEMENT TO LOCAL REPORTERS UPON HIS RETURN FROM LONDON 
DECEMBER 14. 
 
3.  KUWAIT'S ARABIC DAILY "AL-ANBA" QUOTED THE VIEWS OF AN 
UNNAMED OFFICIAL SOURCE AT THE FOREIGN MINISTRY IN AN 
ARTICLE PUBLISHED DECEMBER 15.  ACCORDING TO THE NEWSPAPER, 
THE OFFICIAL SAID THE TAPE REPRESENTS A DEFINITE CONVICTION 
AGAINST BIN LADEN AND DECISIVE EVIDENCE ABOUT HIS 
INVOLVEMENT AND THAT OF HIS ASSOCIATES IN THE SEPTEMBER 11 
ATTACKS. 
 
4.  A LIBERAL COLUMNIST, FOUAD AL-HASHEM, PUBLISHED A PIECE 
DECEMBER 15 IN THE KUWAITI ARABIC DAILY "AL-WATAN" ABOUT THE 
BIN LADEN TAPE.  AL-HASHEM ARGUED:  "NO HUMAN BEING HAS EVER 
SEEN THE DEVIL....  (BUT) THE SEPTEMBER 11 ATTACKS SHOWED 
THE WHOLE WORLD WHAT THE REAL DEVIL LOOKED LIKE WHEN HE 
APPEARED ON THE TAPE FOUND BY THE AMERICAN FORCES.  WE SAW 
HIM AS HE LAUGHED...AND AS HE EXPLAINED HOW HE HAD EXPECTED 
LESS DESTRUCTION AND FEWER DEATHS FROM THE ATTACK ON THE 
WORLD TRADE CENTER.  DO YOU NOW KNOW WHAT THE DEVIL LOOKS 
LIKE?" 
 

JONES 

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