Kuwait said Sunday it has approved a new "strategy" to combat terrorism following gunbattles with Islamist militants and vowed to crush terrorists.
| I hope it goes a little beyond arguing with them in chat rooms... |
The cabinet reviewed during its weekly session a "strategy to deal with the phenomenon of terrorism and extremist ideology," prepared by Kuwait's National Security Council, an official statement said, without giving details. "The cabinet asked the council to ... coordinate with other concerned authorities to formulate practical programmes necessary to combat the ideology of extremism and violence at all levels with the aim to uproot this scourge." The cabinet also approved the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism and referred it to HH the Amir Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah before sending it to parliament for endorsement. The treaty was adopted by the UN General Assembly in December 1999 in a bid to drain sources of funding terrorists.
Interior Minister Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah said the number of terrorists being hunted by Kuwaiti security forces was "small" and would be crushed. "The gang of terrorists is small and will be wiped out completely ... Criminals and wanted men will not escape the hand of justice," the minister told the state KUNA news agency.
Islamic Affairs Minister Abdullah Al-Maatuk on Sunday formed a panel of religious scholars and academics with a mission to "strengthen moderate (Islamic) ideology and confront extremism". The panel is an offshoot of a government committee formed in August and headed by the minister to combat extremism following a crackdown on a network that was recruiting fighters for neighbouring Iraq. Kuwaiti officials have linked the militants to the al-Qaeda network and counterparts in Saudi Arabia, itself battling a wave of terror attacks. Parliament voted last Tuesday to give security forces tough new powers to search for and confiscate illegal weapons in private hands. The Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Sunday refuted reports that one of its imams was among those arrested by security authorities over the recent security incidents.
In statements to KUNA, Information and Media Director Adnan Al-Medhahka said the concerned individual has nothing to do with the ministry but used to, voluntarily, lead and preached worshippers in a make-shift shack and not a ministry mosque. The official meanwhile noted, a seminar will be held to awaken youth who are being lured and misled with religious-coated slogans by vested interests. The seminar will be presented by Mohammad Al-Awadi. He urged all those interested to attend. |