Cablegate: Court Acquits Three Defendants in Peninsula Lions

VZCZCXRO1138
PP RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHKU #0800 1410937
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 210937Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9172
INFO RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS KUWAIT 000800

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER PGOV PINR IZ KU TERRORISM
SUBJECT: COURT ACQUITS THREE DEFENDANTS IN PENINSULA LIONS
CASE

REF: 06 KUWAIT 1594

(SBU) On May 12, the Court of First Instance acquitted three
defendants convicted of terrorism-related charges in the
Peninsula Lions case (reftel). Ahmed Abdullah Mohammed
Al-Otaibi (Kuwaiti) was originally sentenced to seven years
and four months hard labor; Abdul Latif Abdullah Abdul Hadi
Al-Juwaisri (Kuwaiti) to four years and four months hard
labor; and Mohammed Abdul Razzak Sheikh Essa (Somali) to four
years and four months hard labor followed by deportation.
Al-Juwaisri was the only defendant present in court; the
other two are still fugitives and were acquitted in absentia.
According to press reports, Al-Juwaisri's attorney claimed
his client was tortured by Kuwait State Security personnel
after being handed over to Kuwaiti authorities by Syria,
where he was imprisoned for seven months and also subject to
torture. Judge Abdullah Al-Sane cited lack of "convincing
evidence" and "testimonial ambiguity" as the justification
for the ruling. The Public Prosecution is planning to appeal
the verdicts.

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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

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