US soldiers killed, wounded in attack in Kuwaiti Filka island
Kuwait-USA, Politics, 10/9/2002

During American preparations campaign against Iraq in Kuwait, one American soldier was killed and another one wounded in an attack launched by two armed Kuwaitis said to be that they are linked to al-Qaida organization and were trained in Afghanistan.

The incident took place during the maneuvers currently carried out in the Kuwaiti Filka island and it was followed by arrests that targeted 30 persons and the withdrawal of the US marines from the Island.

After the Kuwaiti and American sides kept silence about the details of the incident and the identity of the two attackers who were killed in the clashes, the Kuwaiti ministry of the interior announced yesterday night that the two armed men are Kuwaitis and described their attack as "terrorism." It was not clear yet if the two men have certain political affiliation, whose identity was revealed by the ministry of the interior in Kuwait: Anas Ahmad Ibrahim al-Kandari ( 21 year old) and Jasem Mubarak al-Hajiri ( 26 year old). The Kuwaiti ministry of the interior said it will not permit any body to violate the country's security.

Well- informed Kuwaiti sources said the two men received training in Afghanistan.

Kuwaiti sources said that just few days ago al-Kandari handed over his will to his mother saying that "man doe not know when he will meet his God" and that he called for prayers on Tuesday at dawn in the same mosque where the spokesman for al-Qaids Suleiman Abu Gheith used to pray.

The intention of the attackers and reasons enabled them to approach the site of the American- Kuwaiti military maneuvers that were held in Filka island, were not known.

Filka island is 30 Km far from the coast of the city of Kuwait. It was deserted by most of its population following the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990. Numerous land mine were left implanted in the island and were dismantled with the passing of year.

The spokesman for the US central leadership in Florida said that the Marines who are taking part in the maneuvers in the island left it as a preventive measure just a short time after the attack. The spokesman indicated he does not know if the maneuvers will be resumed later.

Reports said that the attackers were able to approach in their car the site of the maneuvers which is presumed to be isolated for security reasons. The two attackers opened fire at a group of American soldiers among whom there was no Kuwaiti soldiers and after two soldiers were wounded they moved to another location and clashed with another group of American soldiers who kill them, according to sources at the US Pentagon.

Some 1000 US mariners are taking part with Kuwaiti forces in maneuvers for 2002 started last week.

Previous Stories:
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  Near Iraq's border, US troops prepare for maneuvers in Kuwait   (9/26/2002)

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