Washington warns against attacks by Islamist cells in Kuwait
Kuwait-USA, Politics, 1/25/2003

The US warned yesterday that the Islamist cells have been active in Kuwait and might launch new attacks as an apparent al-Qaida network sympathizer was arrested.

This US warning, however, was expressed in Kuwait with the announcement made by the Kuwaiti Sami al-Mateiri ( 25 year old) who is accused of carrying out last Tuesday's attack which resulted in killing one American and wounding another, that he adopts the ideas of the organization which is led by Osama Bin Laden.

The Kuwaiti daily in its Yesterday issue quoted al-Mateiri as saying replying questions by investigators "Yes, I do execute the recommendations of Bin Laden." While the Kuwaiti daily al-Rai al-Aam indicated that al-Mateiri stressed that the attack was "a present to Sheikh Osama Bin Laden."

The US ambassador Richard Jones praised arresting al-Mateiri who was handed over by the Saudi Arabian authorities to Kuwait.The ambassador said that there are still dangers threatening the Americans in Kuwait. He said that Kuwaiti groups had received training with Taliban and al-Qaida in Afghanistan, exist in Kuwait.

Jones added "we do know that many -- that we call the 'Kuwaiti Afghans' in this country," noting the possibility of about 40 Kuwaitis who received training in Afghanistan. Jones considered that the cells he refers to are supportive of Osama Bin Laden but it is not clear whether they receive orders from him.

Worth noting that there are many Osama bin Laden sympathizers in the Arab states, because they despise US policy towards the region, and see in Osama bin Laden a hero for standing up to the USA. Some polls last year showed some 95 percent in Saudi Arabia support Bin Laden, while 74 percent in Kuwait view Bin Laden as a hero.

Previous Stories:
  US calls on its citizens in Saudi Arabia to be cautious; Kuwait arrests suspected Islamists   (1/23/2003)
  One American soldier killed, another wounded in Kuwait   (1/22/2003)
  US ambassador urges investigation into the killers of American soldier in Kuwait   (1/22/2003)
  74 percent of Kuwaitis view Bin Laden as a Hero   (9/11/2002)
  95 percent of Saudis supported bin Laden's cause   (1/29/2002)
  El-Torabi: World media made Bin Laden symbol of Islamic struggle   (9/12/1998)

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