US embassy cable - 03KUWAIT2452

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KUWAIT 002452 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR INR/R/MR, NEA/ARP, NEA/PPD, PA, INR/NESA, 
IIP/G/NEA-SA, INR/B 
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE 
LONDON FOR GOLDRICH, PARIS FOR O'FRIEL 
SECDEF FOR OASD/PA 
CINCCENT FOR CCPA 
USDOC FOR 4520/ANESA/ONE/FITZGERALD-WILKS 
USDOC FOR ITA AND PTO/OLIA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KU, KDMR 
SUBJECT: KUWAIT MEDIA REACTION, MAY 29-JUNE 4: TERRORISM; DE- 
BAATHIFICATION; ROAD MAP PEACE PLAN; IRAQ 
 
 
SUMMARY: Wire services report that a Kuwaiti court sentenced 
Sami al-Mutairi to death on June 4 for the January 21, 2003 
murder of American civilian military contractor Michael 
Pouliot. Two other men were each sentenced to three years in 
prison for providing the weapons used in the attack, with a 
third sentenced in absentia for training al-Mutairi in the 
use of the weapons. 
 
Liberal commentary on terrorism continues to emphasize the 
necessity of social, political and economic change to combat 
terrorism. In sharp contrast, an ultra-conservative 
commentator sees the US-led war on terror as "terrorism" 
against Muslims, and demands "that our governments not 
comply with or respond to such slogans, and take care of 
combating terrorism ourselves." 
 
One writer rails against any relations with the "Zionist 
entity," and argues that without Jihad, "Palestine will be 
lost." A liberal commentator argues that many Baath party 
members joined the party out of necessity and should not be 
excluded from the task of rebuilding Iraq. 
 
One prominent daily reports that an ongoing investigation by 
Saudi and Kuwaiti authorities may link Kuwaitis to the 
bombings of three Western housing compounds on May 13. END 
SUMMARY. 
 
2.  News Stories: On June 4, a Kuwaiti court sentenced Sami 
al-Mutairi to death for the murder of American civilian 
military contractor Michael Pouliot on January 21, 2003, and 
the attempted murder of Pouliot's colleague. Two other men 
were each sentenced to three years in prison for providing 
the weapons used in the attack, with a third sentenced in 
absentia for training al-Mutairi in the use of the weapons. 
 
Al-Rai Al-Aam reports on June 1 that Kuwaiti police have 
apprehended two Kuwaitis suspected of belonging to Al-Qaeda 
as part of the investigation into the Riyadh terrorist 
bombings. On June 2, the paper reports that one of the 
Riyadh suicide attackers may have been a Kuwaiti member of 
Al-Qaeda and that DNA testing will be used to verify whether 
this is the case. 
 
On June 1, Al-Rai Al-Aam reports that a Kuwaiti National 
Guardsman protecting the US Embassy "lost control of his 
weapon" and discharged four rounds during his guard shift. 
He was immediately apprehended and taken in for questioning. 
(Note: as media report notes, incident appears to have been 
an accident.) 
 
On May 30, Al-Watan front-pages Secretary Rumsfeld's Wall 
Street Journal op/ed, "Core Principles for a Free Iraq." 
 
A Member of Parliament accuses the government of allocating 
KD 50 million (approx. USD 150 million) to support 
Parliamentary candidates loyal to the government and to 
defeat Islamist candidates in the July National Assembly 
election, Al-Qabas and Al-Seyassa report on their June 1 
front pages. 
 
All newspapers report on June 2 that a decree by the Amir 
has officially set the date of the Parliamentary elections 
for July 5, 2003. 
 
Al-Anba and Al-Qabas report on June 1 that the Minister of 
Communications has given marine companies 72 hours to submit 
their proposals on how to solve the problem of unloading 
shipments in Kuwaiti ports that are "overcrowded by US 
ships." Sources indicate the Council of Ministers will also 
discuss the issue. 
 
In a poll of 300 citizens, 98% of respondents said that the 
Arab League is a failure, Al-Anba front pages on May 31. 
 
Editorials: 
 
3.  "The Baath Party" 
Liberal Mohammad Musaed Al-Saleh wrote in independent Al- 
Qabas (6/01):  "During Saddam's rule, many Iraqi citizens 
were forced to join the Baath party. Consequently, the 
American-British rulers of Iraq should not consider all 
Baathists to be their enemies. The American decision to let 
go those Ministry and army employees that were members of 
the Baath party will create a crisis for the American and 
British occupation authorities. If they are sincere in their 
temporary occupation, they must involve all competent Iraqis 
in running the country." 
 
4.  "To Not Lose Our Path to Palestine" 
Essam Al-Fulaij wrote in independent Al-Watan (5/29): "We 
must stress that we should not give up the Palestinian 
territories. [O]ur conflict with the Jews is a cultural- 
ideological conflict. Resisting normalization with the 
Jewish enemy is very important for the Jews are the Umma's 
[Muslim nation's] primary enemy. Jihad is the only option we 
have as otherwise we will lose Palestine." 
 
5.  "How Can We Regain the Initiative?" 
Dr. Sadeq Al-Bassam wrote in independent Al-Seyassah (6/3): 
"The impotence of Arab and Islamic regimes has led some 
young men to adopt new alternatives to end the feeling of 
humiliation which has hit the Arab world. Confronting 
violence with violence will only generate fire that could 
engulf everything. We have to work on regaining the 
initiative in combating terrorism by allowing the people to 
participate in political, economic and social decisions. 
Moreover, the governments must also allow more freedom and 
respect of other opinions and to distribute its fortunes 
equally among people instead of distributing it to certain 
people in the regime." 
 
6.  "Terrorism In the War Against Terrorism" 
Islamist Salafi Dr. Wael Al-Hassawi wrote in independent Al- 
Rai Al-Aam (6/3):  "The war on terrorism led by the great 
power nations against small countries has increased the 
agitation of people in many countries of the world and led 
them to adopt the policy of violence. Muslims around the 
world receive the greatest share of blame [for terrorism] 
and are most often detained. The simplest thing we can do in 
our country is to demonstrate that we reject this unjust war 
[against terrorism] and to demand that our governments not 
comply with or respond to such slogans, and take care of 
combating terrorism ourselves." 
 
7.  "Religious Media: A New Joke" 
Liberal Political Science professor, Dr. Ahmed Al-Baghdadi 
wrote in independent Al-Seyassa (6/2):  "It is not the right 
of the Minister of Information to make his ministry a tool 
of the religious [Islamist] current due to his personal 
relations with this group. It is the Minister's duty to make 
television and radio programs suitable to all orientations, 
tastes, and views.  The Minister is therefore blatantly 
biased when he allows all programs, religious or non- 
religious, to go according to Islamists' mood swings. He 
should be held responsible for exploiting official media for 
the benefit of one sector of society-- namely, Islamic 
groups who are not even related to Islam, but represent 
their own interests." 
 
 
JONES