Kuwait to blacklist Hezbollah supporters – Minister warns of consequences

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KUWAIT CITY, March 17, (Agencies): The Kuwaiti authorities have decided to blacklist media men, business persons and financiers after it became evident they had links to the Hezbollah militia of Lebanon which has been declared a terrorist group by the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, reports Al-Rai daily.

The daily added, the authorities have said the residence permit of six media men will not be renewed and six others will be prevented from entering the country because of their alleged links to Hezbollah. One of the journalists who are affected by the decision works for a local daily and another for a television channel. The daily added, two media men have been given a one-month grace period to leave the country.

According to security sources the State Security department has taken practical steps following the issuance of a decision by the GCC countries to declare Hezbollah a terrorist group. Meanwhile, reliable sources said Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Al- Jarallah stressed anyone found cooperating or supporting the Lebanese Hezbollah will face the consequences, irrespective whether this person lives in Kuwait or in any of the GCC countries.

It is worth mentioning the Arab League also upon a request from Saudi Arabia has declared the Lebanese Hezbollah and related groups ‘terrorists’. It has been reported, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior has given the State Security full powers to protect the country from vested interests saying ‘the security of the country is the red line’. The Gulf Cooperation Council and the Arab League declared the Lebanese Hezbollah and related groups as “terrorists.”

Al-Jarallah was reacting to questions by reporters as to whether Kuwait would freeze accounts of people who belonged to Hezbollah and expel them from the country, just like some of the GCC countries have done. Al-Jarallah, cited the GCC designation of Hezbollah, said “Kuwait is part of the GCC and is in full solidarity with it and we are committed to this designation because our security is collective and our future is common.” Asked about Iraq’s reservation over the designation of Hezbollah during the recent Arab League Foreign Ministers’ meeting, he wished the designation would have been unanimous “but the brothers in Iraq have their own views and we respect that.”

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