Kuwaiti forces capture terror leader
31/01/2005 - 15:26:22Kuwaiti police stormed several suspected terror hideouts today, arresting a reputed terror leader and sparking a gun battle that killed five people, including four of his followers, as a government crackdown on Islamic militants intensified.
The fighting, in Mubarak Al Kabir, south of Kuwait City, also wounded three terror suspects and three police officers, officials said.
Three other suspects surrendered during the raid, including Amer Khlaif al-Enezi, a wanted militant leader, authorities said. Al-Enezi is a former mosque preacher described as a mentor to many young militants.
The raid was the fourth over the past three weeks and reflected a new sense of urgency in the battle against militants. Kuwait, a major ally of the United States, has been battling Islamic fundamentalists deeply opposed to the presence of US forces in their country.
Kuwait beefed up security in December around vital infrastructure, including oil installations, following terror attacks in neighbouring Saudi Arabia.
Last week, the US and British embassies warned their citizens to be vigilant in the expectation of new militant attacks.
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