US embassy cable - 05KUWAIT3290

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 003290 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR NEA/ARPI; LONDON FOR TSOU 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/24/2015 
TAGS: PTER, PREL, KISL, KU, TERRORISM 
SUBJECT: HALTING THE FLOW OF FOREIGN INSURGENTS TO IRAQ: 
KUWAIT STRIVES TO BE A CENTER OF ISLAMIC MODERATION 
 
REF: A. STATE 136754 
     B. KUWAIT 2624 
     C. KUWAIT 1308 
 
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Matthew H. Tueller for reasons 1.4(b) 
and (d) 
 
1.  (C)  Charge delivered July 25 ref a demarche to Shaykh 
Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah, President of the National Security 
Bureau (NSB).  He explained that the U.S. was approaching 
several governments, with an emphasis on Iraq's neighbors, to 
underscore concerns about the presence of foreign fighters in 
Iraq and the need to prevent their entry, an effort supported 
by the Iraqi Transitional Government (ITG).  He noted that 
many of the young men apprehended by Iraqi, U.S. and 
coalition forces were third country nationals drawn to Iraq 
by a distorted view of jihad.  Not only did they present a 
threat to Iraq, particularly the innocent civilians injured 
or killed in recent attacks, but also to their home nations 
to which they might return with "credentials" earned in Iraq. 
 Drawing from reftel, he suggested the GOK strengthen its 
intelligence- and information-sharing with the U.S. and 
others, and also look at imposing travel restrictions or 
improving the security of passports or other identity 
documents.  He also invited GOK recommendations on how to 
quell the flow of insurgents to Iraq. 
 
"We're in the Same Boat with You" 
--------------------------------- 
 
2.  (C)  Shaykh Sabah Al-Khaled responded that the flow of 
insurgents and terrorists to Iraq was an immediate concern. 
He said the GOK was focusing its efforts on the problem and 
Foreign Minister Shaykh Dr. Mohammed Al-Sabah Al-Salem 
Al-Sabah traveled to Syria July 21 for meetings with 
President Bashar Al-Asad on border security.  According to 
Sabah Al-Khaled, Al-Asad claimed the GOS had increased 
security on the Syrian side, but complained that there was 
not a sufficient Iraqi, American, or coalition presence on 
the other side.  Sabah Al-Khaled noted that Syria was of 
particular interest to the GOK because the few Kuwaitis 
apprehended in Iraq had all traveled via Syria.  He commented 
that a network was in place to facilitate their travel and 
said the GOK was concerned they would return to Kuwait, view 
it as a "soft target," and launch domestic attacks.  As an 
example, he cited Nasser Khlaif Al-Enezi, a member of the 
Lions of the Peninsula cell uncovered at the beginning of the 
year, who had spent four months training in Iraq, getting 
there by way of Syria.  He returned to Kuwait and immediately 
began planning attacks and was killed in January by Kuwait 
security forces.  Sabah Al-Khaled also informed the Charge 
that Kuwait and the ITG had direct talks about border 
security.  He said Ministry of Interior officials met with 
ITG counterparts on the margins of the Istanbul neighbors' 
meeting and no complaints were raised.  Stating, "We're in 
the same boat with you," Sabah Al-Khaled said securing 
borders was in the national interest of Iraq's neighbors and 
the GOK was ready to cooperate.  He added that the GOK 
welcomed any available information on Kuwaitis apprehended or 
detained in Iraq. 
 
Kuwait to Become Center for Islamic Moderation 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
3.  (C)  In addition to improving border control, the Charge 
identified stemming terror financing and limiting 
inflammatory statements by religious leaders as other ways to 
combat the insurgency.  Sabah Al-Khaled referred to the GOK 
interministerial plan to promote moderation (ref b).  He said 
the GOK took to heart British Prime Minister Blair's comments 
about the "evil of ideology" and was now working with 
moderate clerics from Morocco to Jordan to encourage 
tolerance.  He said it was a long-term plan, but the GOK had 
the necessary funding and was committed to see it through. 
He further commented that the task was difficult, especially 
since extremists used modern technology such as the internet 
and text messages to spread hate, messages that resonated 
when young people were regularly bombarded with images of 
Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib, and the occupied territories.  Shaykh 
Thamer Al-Sabah, NSB Office Director, noted that two 
government-run television stations were airing more public 
service announcements on tolerance than advertising.  He 
added that local mosques had condemned recent attacks in 
London, Sharm El-Sheikh, Beirut, and Iraq, stressing that the 
insurgency was not Islam.  Sabah Al-Khaled said the GOK took 
the attacks in London and Sharm El-Sheikh seriously:  they 
were proof "we are not immune from anything happening in the 
neighborhood."  The Charge commended GOK efforts and 
encouraged the GOK to work with other Arab states on 
spreading the importance of tolerance and moderation. 
 
Using Every Law in the Book to Combat Terrorism 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
4.  (C)  Responding to the Charge's question about the 
adequacy of Kuwaiti laws to try terrorists and their 
supporters, Sabah Al-Khaled said new and stronger laws were 
needed, but since passing new legislation was a cumbersome 
process, the GOK was currently using all existing laws to 
"bridge the gap."  For example, terror supporter Hamad 
Abdullah Al-Ali, would be charged with "damaging the 
relationship of Kuwait with its neighbors" and "harming the 
security of Kuwait" in the absence of laws to try him for his 
suspected involvement in sending jihadis to Iraq. 
 
5.  (U)  Khartoum and Tripoli:  Minimize considered. 
 
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TUELLER