Remarks By Shaikh Sabah Khalid Al Hamad Al Sabah. President of the National Security Bureau, Kuwait
To the Third Plenary Session “The Nature of the Regional Terrorism Challenge” at the Second IISS Regional Security Summit in Bahrain on Saturday, 3rd December 2005
In the name of Allah the Most Merciful the Most Compassionate
Mr. Chairman
Your Highnesses and Excellencies
Ladies and Gentlemen
It gives me a great pleasure and pride that the Kingdom of Bahrain hosts the events and activities of the Second Conference around “Gulf Dialogue” which reflects the great interest paid by His Majesty the King Shaikh Hamad bin Esa Al Khalifa to these vital issues. We highly commend and appreciate these initiatives which come in light of our dire need for our countries to meet and discuss issues related to national, regional and international stability and security. One again I would like to reiterate my deep thanks to His Majesty the King, His Highness the Prime Minister Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa and His Highness the Crown Prince and Commander in-Chief of the Bahrain Defence Force. I also would like to thank His Excellency Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Minister of Foreign Affairs, for his valuable remarks at the opening ceremony which highlighted the vital issues of the region which could boost region’s security and stability.
My deep thanks and appreciation go to all those who took part in organizing this conference namely, His Excellency Dr. John Chipman, IISS Director who succeeded in utilizing the success of the first conference and dedicated his efforts towards increasing level of participation to include new states and personalities.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The governments and peoples of the region still obsessed by the issue of security and stability in light of the escalation of terrorist acts witnessed by the world and our region since our first meeting in December last year. The issue of terrorism posed itself on all the forum at all levels.
We can identify terrorism according to its general concept as “Illegitimate use of force”. It is an old and new human phenomena in the same time, and like the nature of other human phenomena, terrorism developed with the time in terms of its ideological and organizational aspects, as well as the structure, trends and distribution of force and influence mechanisms.
Over the past two decades, in particular, the phenomena of terrorism witnessed radical changes which reached its peak during the 11th September attacks in 2001. No doubt, these developments required the international community and states of the world to work hard in order to follow up the trends of this serious problem and identify accurately its destructive impact.
Terrorism now is taking a new international form which is becoming wider with no barriers or borders to an extent that the most remote parts of the world should not feel safe or protected against this phenomena. In other words, the whole world faces transnational terrorism, from Kenya and Tanzania in Africa, to Bali and Islamabad in Asia, to Washington and New York in North America, Madrid and London in Europe, as well as Kuwait, Riyadh, Baghdad, Sharm Al Shaikh and Amman in the heart of the Middle East.
The civilization base (i.e., religion and culture) has become the intellectual basis which terrorist groups rely on to employ religion to serve their illegitimate and illegal objectives. These groups use religion to attract elements of their organizations, then they carry out their operations, or justify their criminal acts adding legitimacy out of cultural and religious beliefs. In addition to exploiting mottos based on this concept to gain the sympathy of the people calling their shameful acts “Jihad” to confront the foreign occupation forces and a chapter in the series of conflicts between Islam and the West. Islam definitely disdains and denounces these acts.
On the other hand, terrorism gained an institutional and organizational form. We do not speak now about certain groups or secret cells with limited number, but what we witness large entities in terms of number of members who joined these organizations secretly or what is called “Sleeping Cells” who belong to various nationalities. That is to say, we are confronting multi-national terrorism. Terrorism organizations are managed, financed and promoted by a clear chain of command.
No longer these organizations use certain geographical location or a country or a group of countries as a transit but they resort to the principle of “nationalization” and to have sub-organizations and affiliates worldwide.
For sure, we all noticed these organizational aspect in Al Qad’a Organization. Beside the mother organization led by Osama bin Ladin, sub-organizations and branched emerged in different regions led by regional leaders – such as Abu Mos’ab Al Zarqawi, leader of Al Qa’da Organization in Iraq, etc – they all loyal to the supreme leader of the Organization. Some of the organizations created strategic alliances with other organizations.
The objectives of terrorism organizations are no longer limited to spreading panic and horror among large number of people in order to gain local objective, such as embarrassing certain government or political regime. Their objectives varied and became more generalized. If we look at the size and type of these organizations, their regional and international extensions, we realize that they try to impose themselves as key players at the political, economic and social levels.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The serious problem of terrorism is not limited to the number of people killed, injured or left homeless, or the degree of panic, but its effects and impact go beyond this due to its linkage to more dangerous phenomena that endanger international peace and security, including money laundering crimes, drug and weapon smuggling. In addition to what has been heard and affirmed by some sources that Al Qad’a Organization is trying to own mass destruction weapons.
These developments which took place and changed the aspects of contemporary terrorism require and necessitate quality changes according to a vision and a strategy to overcome this ever increasing phenomena. In this regard I would like to express my commends to the achievements of the International Conference for Combating Terrorism which was held in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia in last February namely the invitation from the Custodian of the Two Holly Mosques his majesty king Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz to establish an international centre for combating terrorism and which is adopted by the conference.
Within this context the State of Kuwait has been keen to fulfill its international commitments emanating from the resolutions of the Security Council including the ratification and joining of 11 UN conventions out of 13. In addition, two other conventions are currently being studied by the Kuwaiti People’s Assembly for ratification. At the regional level, Kuwait signed the Arab Islamic Convention for Combating Terrorism. The State of Kuwait also cooperated with the IMF and WB to benefit from their experience in this field.
The government of Kuwait formed a supreme committee for the formulation of programmes and procedures to guard youth against any aspects of deviation or fanaticism with an aim to combat establish plans and mechanisms to eliminate the phenomena of terrorism. Since the establishment of the committee a number of preventive measures have been developed including:
Introduce action mechanism to link government establishments and ministries to guard youth against aspects of behavioral deviation and fanaticism.
Establish a centre to boost moderate trends among society members namely the new generation through holding seminars and conferences constantly in schools and universities as well as planning media campaign to raise awareness among people.
Create programmes for rehabilitation and training of Imams and preachers of mosques to enable them to undertake their role in boosting the spirit of tolerance and moderate thinking.
Boost the role of relevant ministries in following up charity work and placing laws and regulations to regulate the mechanisms of charity institutions.
Bolster democratic practices such as maintaining women’s political rights and their active participation.
Ensure social and economic welfare for citizens through implementing development plans to upgrade education and health systems as well as providing job opportunities to the youth and encourage participation of the private sector in economic activities.
I would like to mention that the executive council of the ministers of endowments and Islamic affairs in its 9th sessions held in Kuwait last November, has adopted the project introduced by the Kuwaiti Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs on the establishment of a centre to boost moderate approaches and to be based in the State of Kuwait. A number of other projects shall be added including a centre for training of preachers and Imams, a centre for international dialogue and a committee to combat terrorism and fanaticism.
In conclusion we believe that focusing on concepts of tolerance and moderate thinking among youth and encouraging them to adopt this approach in life, would combat fanaticism and intolerance. The complex and compound phenomena of terrorism need the cooperation and support of all partners involved in the political, economic, cultural and social aspects. we should increase international efforts and boost the role of the United Nations to find appropriate solutions for conflicts and disputes in the region and the world, as well as providing effective mechanisms to fill the gap between the rich and the poor and activate mechanisms of cultural interaction among countries of the world.
