Sunday, February 13, 2005

Analysis of Terrorist Threat in Kuwait

Michael Knights of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy analyzes the sources and causes of the increasing threat of terrorism in Kuwait:
Five firefights between Kuwaiti government forces and terrorist cells since January 10, 2005, have brought the hitherto low-profile issue of Kuwait's role in the war on terror to the fore.
Knights finds reason for optimism if the threat is addressed promptly:
Unlike in Saudi Arabia, the Salafist community in Kuwait is small and can still be isolated from the broader Salafist network forming in the Gulf. Moreover, the recent disturbances in Kuwait were indicators of successful action against discovered cells, not actual terrorist attacks.
Note: Salafist refers to violent Islamic fundamentalist organizations and individuals. There's a good definition and analysis of Salafism here.