US embassy cable - 05KUWAIT3246

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 003246 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARPI; NEA/PPD; LONDON FOR TSOU; PARIS FOR 
ZEYA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER, KPAO, KISL, PREL, PHUM, KU, TERRORISM 
SUBJECT:  Engaging Kuwaitis On Terrorism and Islam 
 
Ref: A) State 131453 
B) State 121757 
 
 
1. (U) SUMMARY: The July 7 terror attacks in London, 
followed closely by increasingly horrific and deadly 
suicide attacks in Iraq, Lebanon and Egypt, have deeply 
affected Kuwaiti leaders and opinion makers. Some contacts 
have said that the London attacks, in particular, hit them 
harder than the 9/11 attacks, because so many Kuwaitis 
travel often to London. Post continually engages contacts 
from the Government and media in discussions about 
terrorism and regional security, reiterating the need for 
the unequivocal condemnation of violence to come from 
Kuwaitis themselves. The tragic spate of recent, 
spectacular attacks has offered post yet another 
opportunity to engage interlocutors on terrorism, Islam, 
and security in Iraq, as encouraged in reftels A and B, and 
contacts have responded. END SUMMARY. 
 
2. (U) IO actively sought meetings with editors, columnists 
and opinion-makers in the wake of the attacks. Engagement 
included both encouraging contacts to condemn the terrorist 
acts in the strongest religious terms, and seeking longer- 
term solutions in addressing terrorism and the threat of 
extremism. Sami Al-Nesf, the media advisor to the Prime 
Minister and a columnist with pro-government Al-Anba 
newspaper, wrote a column July 9 calling for a fatwa 
(religious decree) condemning Osama bin Laden and his 
actions. Al-Nesf and PDOff have had ongoing conversations 
since then to discuss how best to condemn continued 
violence in Iraq. 
 
3. (SBU) IO met with Adnan Qakoon, the editor in charge of 
local news for pro-government Arabic daily Al-Qabas, to 
discuss his paper's coverage of terrorism. While the paper 
already takes a firm line against terrorism, Qakoon said 
that he was working on a series of reports highlighting the 
reactions to the terrorist attacks of prominent Kuwaiti 
Islamist politicians such as Salafi Members of Parliament 
Walid Al-Tabtabaei and Fahd Al-Khanna. After U.S. military 
action in Fallujah in November 2004, Qakoon said, these MPs 
led Islamists in condemning the U.S. actions as "genocide" 
and "massacre." By contrast, Al-Tabtabaei responded to the 
London bombings by writing a column encouraging the 
terrorists to spare London but attack Israel instead, and 
gave a lengthy interview blaming terrorism on American 
policy in the region, in particular Abu Ghraib and 
Guantanamo. Qakoon said that by spotlighting such 
contradictory reactions, he hoped to discredit these 
lawmakers in the eyes of all but their most ardent 
supporters. 
 
4. (SBU) In meetings with Ali Ruz and Ali Ballout, the 
managing editor and deputy managing editor, respectively, 
of Al-Rai Al-A'am, Kuwait's largest Arabic daily, the men 
explained their determination to condemn the London 
bombings and other attacks in the strongest terms. Ruz, who 
rarely writes columns under his own byline, preferring to 
edit the work of others at the paper, wrote a stark column 
condemning the London attacks on July 10. In a series of 
rhetorical questions, Ruz questioned the motivations of the 
bombers and the so-far inadequate response of the societies 
that have spawned such acts. Both men said that they would 
continue to seek opportunities to address this issue in the 
paper. 
 
5. (U) Other PD contacts have responded independently, 
without encouragement from post. Khalil Ali Haider, a 
moderate Shi'a writer, wrote a column in independent Arabic 
daily Al-Watan on July 19 encouraging Arabs to stand up and 
examine their faith. He wrote: "Why do terror attacks 
continue? We point fingers. We don't look in. We don't 
blame ourselves. There are those among us who tolerate 
takfir ideology and as long as they do, the terror will go 
on." (Note: "takfir" refers to the practice of accusing 
others, including some Muslims, of apostasy, a crime 
punishable by death in some extreme interpretations of 
Islam. End note.) 
 
6. (U) PD contact Dr. Ayed Al-Manna, an advisor to the 
Kuwait Journalist's Association and frequent critic of U.S. 
policy towards the Palestinians, slammed those who 
attempted to justify the recent bombings on religious 
grounds in his July 19 column in Al-Watan. He wrote: "Some 
people interpret the original religious texts to serve 
their interests and call leaders of the nations 'Infidels.' 
These are the same people who legitimize suicide operations 
although their claims are neither supported by religion nor 
the nation's prominent scholars . Can anyone justify the 
terrorist operations and the murder of innocent Iraqi 
children in one area and another brutal operation in Al- 
Mussaiab which killed more than 98 Iraqis and injured 
scores? Can these operations be considered jihad, or crime 
motivated by malice?" 
 
7. (U) Among Islamists, Dr. Wael Al-Hassawi, the former 
editor of Salafi magazine Al-Furqan, and a frequent 
interlocutor for both PD and POL on Islamist issues, 
denounced the terrorist attacks in religious terms. In his 
July 10 column in Al-Rai Al-Aam, he wrote: "Historically, 
it is the Muslims who have built bridges of civilization to 
improve the image of Islam in the West and to promote this 
sublime religion in that part of the world, leading 
millions of Westerners to freely embrace Islam. However, 
suddenly and without any premises, the terrorists are 
striving to destroy what the Muslims have achieved over the 
past centuries . Unfortunately, all this has happened in 
the name of Islam - the religion of love and peace." 
 
8. (U) Post is also undertaking more formal outreach 
efforts to address the advice contained in Reftel B. The 
Charge is hosting an afternoon gathering at his home July 
26 for a wide spectrum of Kuwaiti Islamists drawn from the 
realms of politics, academia, the media and the private 
sector. The purpose of the meeting is to engage these 
leaders about what role religion plays in society and how 
best to engage Muslim leaders to promote moderation and 
condemn violence. Post plans to arrange a similar gathering 
in the same venue, again under the CDA's auspices, for 
columnists and other media figures. 
 
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