VZCZCXRO6303
OO RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDE RUEHGI RUEHKUK RUEHLH RUEHMOS RUEHPW
DE RUEHKU #0634 0541053
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 231053Z FEB 06
FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3162
INFO RUCNISL/ISLAMIC COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS KUWAIT 000634 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR NEA/ARPI 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PTER KDEM IZ KU
SUBJECT: KUWAITI CONDEMNATION OF THE AL- ASKARIYA SHRINE 
BOMBING 
 
REF: STATE 28802 
 
¶1.  The highest levels of the Kuwaiti Government have 
condemned the February 22 bombing of the Al-Askariya shrine 
in Samarra.  According to the press, Amir Shaykh Sabah sent a 
message to Iraqi President Talabani condemning the act and 
asserting that the targeting of religious monuments and 
murder of innocent civilians has no relation to Islam.  Crown 
Prince Shaykh Nawaf sent a similar message to Talabani. 
Prime Minister Shaykh Nasser also condemned the attack and 
offered the condolences of the Kuwaiti people in a message to 
Prime Minister al-Jaafari. 
 
¶2.  National Assembly Speaker Jassem Al-Khorafi, in a public 
statement on February 23, said, "Who has carried out this 
operation intended to sow seeds of discord and cause rifts 
among the Iraqis and foment sectarianism at this critical 
time in Iraq."  He expressed confidence in Iraq's leaders and 
predicted, "Such condemned acts done by deviant elements will 
backfire on them and will lead to solidifying the unity of 
the Iraqi people." 
 
¶3.  Approximately 3,000 Kuwaitis, primarily Shi'a, staged a 
peaceful demonstration February 23 in front of a Shi'a 
mosque.  Religious leaders and Shi'a Members of Parliament 
delivered speeches of condemnation and called for restraint. 
Similar protests are planned for February 24. 
 
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For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/?cable s 
 
Visit Kuwait's Classified Website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ 
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LEBARON