Kuwait Sentences 3 to Death Over Plot to Assassinate Interior Minister, Iran Espionage and Hezbollah Links

KUWAIT CITY, Oct 26: Kuwait’s Criminal Court, State Security Circuit, on Monday sentenced three men to death and eight Kuwaiti citizens to five years in prison each in a case involving espionage for Iran, membership in Hezbollah and a plot to assassinate the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior.

The three men sentenced to death are Hussein Abdullah Al-Matouq, Hassan Abdulhadi Hajieh and Abdulreza Haidar Dehqani.

The verdict was issued by the State Security Circuit, presided over by Judge Nasser Al-Badr, with Judges Omar Al-Mulaifi, Abdullah Al-Faleh and Salem Al-Zayed as members of the panel. Sultan Al-Shujaei served as court secretary.

The case involved charges of harming Kuwait’s national interests, collaborating with Iran, joining the Lebanese Hezbollah organiation and planning hostile acts against the State of Kuwait, including the assassination of the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior.

According to the case details, defendants four through ten met to plan the assassination and divided responsibilities among themselves. The eleventh defendant was tasked with providing the equipment needed to carry out the operation under the direction of the first three defendants.

The defendants were also accused of attempting to use explosives to carry out an operation intended to spread fear in Kuwait. The eleventh defendant was charged with attempting to bring explosives into the country to enable the others to execute the planned operation.

In its judgment, the court said the defendants had sought to undermine Kuwait’s security, spread unrest in society and shake public confidence in the ability of state authorities to protect lives and property.

The court stressed that national security was not the interest of an individual or a particular group, but a right belonging to society as a whole.

It further stated that Kuwait’s sovereignty could not be challenged by foreign powers and that the state would not accept external orders imposed from beyond its borders or allow its institutions and symbols of authority to become targets of plots directed by foreign entities.