KUWAIT: TERRORIST THREATS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP91B00135R000701330010-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 7, 2008
• Sequence Number: 10
• Publication Date: November 2, 1983
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2008/04/07: CIA-RDP91 B001 35R000701330010-8
Next 2 Page(s) In Document Denied
Iq
Approved For Release 2008/04/07: CIA-RDP91 B001 35R000701330010-8
 Approved For Release 2008/04/07: CIA-RDP91 B001 35R000701330010-8
OPERATIONS CENTER/CURRENT SUPPORT GROUP (,6PGL,b
News Bulletin
ASSOCIATED PRESS December 1983
INTERNATIONAL, #016 hem No. 1
P 17,
;"EMBASSY IN KUWAIT URD CIR WARNING
^BY AMBER T PARRY
'"ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER
:,'AS!''_'1'GTO", ( RP) - HE S. EMBASSY IN KUWAIT WAS WARNED ABOUT ONE
MONTH IN ADVANCE BY THE CIA TO EXPECT A TERRORIST ATTACK BUT FAILED TO
TAKE ENOUGH SAFEGUARDS TO AVERT THIS WEEK'S TRUCK BOMBING,
INTELLIGENCE SOURCES SAY.
'HE BOMBING LEFT SIX PEOPLE DEAD. H SEVENTH PERSON DIED IN ONE OF
FIVE OTHER BOMBINGS THAT ROCKED KUWAIT ON !MONDAY.
ONE SOURCE SAID BOTH THE COUNTRY AND THE TARGET WERE PREDICTED BY
THE CIA IN LATE OCTOBER. 'HE SOURCE ALSO SAID THAT WARNINGS TO ':;RRINES
IN BEIRUT WENT LARGELY UNHEEDED PRIOR TO THE OCT. 23 BOMBING THAT
KILLED 24. SERVICEMEN.
'ONCE AGAIN WE HAVE A SITUATION WHERE A WARNING WITH SUBSTANTIAL
LEAD TIME WAS PROVIIDED$" SAID THE SOURCE. BUT !BRINE OFFICIALS HAVE
SAID THE BEIRUT WARNINGS WERE TOO VAGUE TO BE HELPFUL.
TWO OTHER INTELLIGENCE SOURCES CONFIRMED THAT WARNINGS WERE SENT TO
THE U.S. EMBASSY IN KUWAIT ABOUT A POTENTIAL ATTACK. ONE SOURCE SAID
WARNINGS ALSO HAD BEEN SENT TO V.S. EMBASSIES IN CAIRO, EGYPT, AND
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA.
HE SOURCES, ALL OF WHOM SPOKE ONLY ON CONDITION THEY REMAIN
ANONYMOUS, SAID SOME EVIDENCE EXISTS THAT LINKS THE KUWAIT BOMBING TO
IRAN BUT IT IS NOT CLEAR THAT THE ATTACKERS WERE OPERATING ON ORDERS
FROM THE IRANIAN GOVERNMENT. IRAN ON 'WEDNESDAY DENIED RESPONSIBILITY
FOR THE ATTACK.
A GROUP CALLED THE ISLAMIC JIHAD OR "HOLY WARP' CLAIMED
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE BOMBINGS. LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT THE GROUP, BUT
IT IS BELIEVED TO BE BASED IN ;LEBANON AND CONSIST OF FUNDAMENTALIST
SHIITE "MOSLEMS LOYAL TO THE IRANIAN REVOLUTION. THE GROUP ALSO CLAIMED
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE !ARINE HEADQUARTERS BOMBING IN BEIRUT.
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS, WHO DESCRIBED THE "!ONDRY ATTACKS AS
"HIGHLY ORGANIZED AND ORCHESTRATED," PREDICTED THERE WOULD BE
RETALIATORY STRIKES AGAINST THE GROUP'S MAIN BASE IN LEBANON IF ITS
INVOLVEMENT IS PROVED.
(Continued on back)
page 1 of 2
Approved For Release 2008/04/07: CIA-RDP91 B001 35R000701330010-8
 Approved For Release 2008/04/07: CIA-RDP91 B001 35R000701330010-8
ONE U.S. OFFICIAL SAID THE LIKELIEST PLACE TO RETALIATE WOULD BE IN
THE SAALBEK REGION IN LEBANONY THE GROUP'S BASE WHICH IS BEHIND
SYRIAN LINES.
`XE SAID IT IS HIGHLY UNLIKELY THERE WOULD BE A DIRECT ATTACK AGAINST
IRAN BECAUSE IT WOULD BE ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO SAY WHETHER ORDERS COME
FROM THE GOVERNMENT OF PIYATOLLAH `%UHOLLAH KHOMEINI.
"NOBODY IS EVEN SURE WHO IS THE GOVERNMENT IN IRAN," THIS OFFICIAL
SAID.
`:1..EANWHILE! THE DEPARTMENT VOICED DOUBTS THAT ONE MANY INJURED IN THE
KUWAIT EMBASSY BOMBING AND PREVIOUSLY BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN ABOARD
THE BOMB-LADEN TRUCKS HAD ACTUALLY PARTICIPATED IN THE ATTACK.
"HERE ARE SOME DOUBTS ABOUT THAT AND s THINK THE DOUBTS MAY BE
GROWINGgs= SAID DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN ALAN ROMBERG. "I'M NOT SURE THAT
INDIVIDUAL IS NECESSARILY INVOLVED."
IF THE INJURED AND HOSPITALIZED MANY SAID TO BE BETWEEN 2.5 AND 3U
YEARS OLD! CAN BE LINKED TO THE TRUCHs THIS WOULD MRRK THE FIRST
CAPTURE OF A PARTICIPANT IN THIS YEARS STRING OF SUICIDE BOMBINGS.
RP-NY-.2-5 O2i rtE S T
page 2 of 2
Approved For Release 2008/04/07: CIA-RDP91 B001 35R000701330010-8