Kuwait–Security agencies in Kuwait have busted a spy cell working for Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, feeding information on Kuwaiti and US targets, a newspaper reported today.
Citing high-ranking security sources, Al-Qabas daily said Kuwait arrested at least seven men, some of whom served in the interior and defense ministries, while others include bidoon, or stateless Arabs, and other Arabs.
Security agencies are still hunting for six to seven other men suspected of being members of the cell, which was broken up in a coordinated effort between the secret service and army intelligence, the paper said.
Cell members have taken pictures of Kuwaiti military and other vital targets in addition to US military sites, Al-Qabas said.
Security forces stormed the home of one of the cell leaders in Sulaibiya, 25km west of Kuwait City two days ago and found maps for vital sites, highly sophisticated communications devices and cash exceeding US$250,000.
The daily quoted the security sources as saying members of the cell confessed that they were assigned to recruit new members whose ideas are similar to the Revolutionary Guards.
Members of the cell have visited Iran frequently under the disguise of tourism, medical treatment or visiting religious places, the daily said.
Kuwait is home to several US military bases. The major base is in Arifjan, 70km south of Kuwait City and houses about 15,000 US soldiers.
The emirate is also used as a transit point for US troops into and out of both Iraq and Afghanistan.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards are an elite military, industrial and political force created by the founder of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, to safeguard the revolution from both foreign and domestic threats.
They have repeatedly warned they have US bases in Iraq and Afghanistan under watch, implying they will pound these targets and could shut down the sea lanes of the oil-rich Gulf if the US launches a military attack.
