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| Arabia |
| 4 al-Qaeda members killed in Kuwait |
| 2005-02-02 |
| Kuwaiti security forces killed four al Qaeda members and captured three others, including a suspected leader, during clashes Monday in oil-rich Kuwait which is battling a surge in al Qaeda-linked activities. Monday's gunbattle marked an escalation in the fight between authorities and Al-Qaeda bent on destabilizing U.S. ally Kuwait, where sympathy for al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden is on the rise. Analysts said Kuwait's swift response showed the tiny country of 2.5 million people was better placed to crush members of Al-Qaeda than vast Saudi Arabia, where al Qaeda has staged massive attacks against Western and government targets. An Interior Ministry statement said four members of Al-Qaeda and one Kuwaiti civilian were killed, and three policemen and three militants were wounded in the clash -- the fourth this month pitting al Qaeda fighters against police in the pro-Western Gulf Arab state. "Police were able since dawn to eradicate a group who hid in a number of locations in Mubarak al Kabir. They shot at police and hid in a home," said the ministry, adding that the operation was over. Police raided the house and four (members) were killed, three were wounded and three were arrested. Three policemen were wounded." A Kuwaiti civilian died when hit by fire, it said. State media said among those detained was accused top al Qaeda member, Amer al-Enezi, suspected of training and helping Kuwaitis go to Iraq to join resistance there. It said he was among 10 Kuwaitis and Saudis wanted for al Qaeda links. Security sources said police were still pursuing about 11 members of Al-Qaeda. Residents said heavy gunfire and mortar blasts were heard for two hours. "It seems like the bulk of the firing has targeted a house that seems to be adjacent to a mosque," one resident told Reuters. "They shot the hell out of this house. There isn't a square foot of it that is not covered with bullet holes." Police blocked all entry to the area and reinforcements were brought in. Witnesses saw about 40 Humvees, trucks and armored vehicles in the street where the members of Al-Qaeda were believed hiding. Sunday, a Kuwaiti security officer and a member of Al-Qaeda were killed during a police raid on the group's hideouts. A Bahraini man was also killed and two members of Al-Qaeda arrested. Analysts said Kuwaiti authorities were in control because unlike Riyadh, al Qaeda's ideology is not as widespread in traditionally moderate Kuwait. "The recent clashes show that there are several sleeper cells in Kuwait but the authorities are much more vigilant and in control than Saudi Arabia," said analyst Shamlan al-Issa. "Kuwait will be able to crack down on the (group) but it might take some time," Issa said, adding: "Kuwait is much smaller than Saudi Arabia ." Kuwait, which controls a tenth of global oil reserves, has stepped up security around oil and other vital installations after an attempt by Al-Qaeda members to launch a major attack near the country's largest oil refinery and a U.S. military camp in the southern area of Umm al-Haiman. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |