Kuwait says arrested Iraqi was spying on U.S. base

Reuters | 2/23/03

[kattracks]

KUWAIT, Feb 23 (Reuters) - An Iraqi arrested in Kuwait on suspicion of spying was gathering intelligence on U.S. forces massing for a possible invasion of Iraq, Kuwait said on Sunday.

Kuwait's interior ministry said the Iraqi man, arrested two weeks ago, had supplied information on Camp Doha, the main military base for U.S. forces in Kuwait, to Iraqi officers.

"The spy passed on information about American forces in Doha camp, their numbers and equipment," Interior Ministry spokesman Ahmad al-Sharqawy said.

Kuwait is a key regional ally of Washington and is seen as a main launchpad for any U.S.-led attack on neighbouring Iraq.

The spokesman said the man, named as Zohair Fakeera Mohammed Nader, was a first lieutenant working for Iraqi intelligence. Nader, who had lived in Kuwait since 1980, remains in custody.

The arrest followed last month's detention of a Kuwaiti soldier on similar grounds. Kuwait said the arrest of Hamad Fahd al-Juway'id, suspected of spying for Iraq, showed Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was planning "terrorist attacks" in the tiny Gulf state.

Kuwaiti officials have said they believe Iraq has spies and sleeper cells in Kuwait. Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990 and occupied it for seven months before being driven out by U.S.-led forces in 1991. ((Reporting by Mohamad Abdussalam,

[YOMO]

What the heck was he spying for? All they need do is tune in to CNN and get all the troop movements they want. ABC, CBS, and NBC will probably air the Flight numbers and times.

[appalachian_dweller]

Exactly right. I watched a report about the military giving unprecedented access to the media. It's a way to counter SoDumb's propaganda machine. It may work. Or it may get alot of US troops killed. Very dangerous.

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

Honestly, we could tell the Iraqi's when and where we were going to attack and I don't think it would matter much. Most of the Iraqis are going to surrender and the rest are going to get the highway of death treatment. Hopefully they will remove Saddam and it won't come to that.

[appalachian_dweller]

I hope yor're right.