3 Filipinos Convicted of Espionage in Qatar
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SUBSCRIPTION WEDNESDAY, MAY 28, 2014 RAJAB 29, 1435 AH www.kuwaittimes.net Premier Indian PM to visit Modi holds China talks with next month3 Pakistan15 rival 3 Filipinos convicted Max 42º Min 29º High Tide of espionage in Qatar 00:05 & 11:03 Low Tide 05:27 & 18:29 40 PAGES NO: 16179 150 FILS Philippines denies spying on Gulf state MANILA: The Philippines denied yes- death had spied for a “state security conspiracy theories terday it was spying on Qatar, after force” in the Philippines, the newspa- three Filipinos were convicted of espi- per added. He had reportedly passed onage in the Gulf state. One man was copies of project tenders to other com- What a show! sentenced to death and two to life in panies, as well as classified information jail after a court found them guilty of about a Qatari Air Force base to Filipino leaking information that could threat- officials, the Doha News website said, en Qatari national security, foreign citing a source close to the case. department spokesman Charles Jose Al-Raya identified him as a lieu- said. “We are categorically denying that tenant in the Philippines’ state security we are engaged in espionage,” Jose force, which sent him to Qatar, saying By Badrya Darwish said when asked about the case. he was trained under the supervision Jose declined to give any further of another officer at Manila information on the case but Qatari International Airport. He provided media published some details about state security with information he hid, the trial. The three men had been in along with secret documents, in pres- [email protected] custody for five years, Qatar’s Al-Raya ents sent to the officer he worked for daily reported, and were charged with via mediators at Manila Airport, the leaking information about weaponry, newspaper said. The second defendant hat green figure who nominated himself the aircraft, maintenance and servicing leaked secret information to his other day reminded me of a comic series that I records between 2009 and 2010 to Filipino handler and the third travelled Tused to love - Hulk. I used to watch it with my intelligence officials in the Philippines with the main convict to the kids. I’m sure many of you know it. The guy was as well as a former ambassador. The Philippines in 2009 and gave him infor- green but that was OK because he was a superhero - defendants worked at a major state- mation on Qatari military aircraft, the he used to help people and people fell in love with run Qatari company. numbers of Filipinos employed there him. So I cannot compare that guy to our green The two men jailed for life were also and their salaries, Al-Raya said. The nominee. Another guy has been labeled the winter employed by the Qatari Air Force as information could not be independ- nominee. He came heavily wrapped in winter cloth- technicians and provided the third ently verified. The defendants are cur- ing, as if he lives in Alaska where the temperature is man with “secret information” in return rently being tried by an appeals court 40 below zero and not 40 above. So that’s why they CAIRO: Egyptian policemen and election workers wait for voters at a polling center dur- for “big amounts of money”, it said. The in Doha which on Monday set their call them the green and winter guys. defendant who was sentenced to next hearing for Oct 27. — AFP These two guys might be a bit entertaining and ing the second day of presidential elections yesterday. — AP a bit of fun. But I looked at it with irony. Is this the level which our parliament is looked upon by the people now - a theatre to crack jokes, to mock and Egypt extends humiliate? I’m not bothered by the color of the guy’s bisht, be it green or fuscia or light blue, whatever color he voting amid likes. The idea is that this guy is not serious. Mr Green came to mock the standard of the parliamen- low turnout tarians with his scepter. Why was he carrying this other than to mock the parliament, and Mr Winter CAIRO: Egypt gave voters an extra day to cast ballots for a also came, in my opinion, for the same reason. How president yesterday, in a surprise move amid a reportedly can someone come wrapped for winter when it’s low turnout in the first election since the overthrow of an boiling outside and carrying the entire registration Islamist leader. Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, the ex-army chief who fees of KD 50 in coins? This is another attempt at toppled Islamist president Mohamed Morsi last year, is the mockery of the nomination committee and the par- clear frontrunner. But his campaign had hoped for a large liament. turnout as a decisive show of support. After reports of a Don’t tell me a Kuwaiti doesn’t have KD 50. And meagre turnout on Monday’s first day of voting, his back- to add to the fun, he was short of 250 fils, which ers and sympathetic media harangued people to go and some official had to put up. Everyone was laughing. vote as Islamists had urged a boycott. It was a circus that attracted the attention of the One television anchor, the ultra-nationalist Tawfiq whole of Kuwait and the media, and this is what Okasha, went as far as suggesting those who fail to vote they wanted - newspapers, Twitter, Instagram, should “be shot”. The decision to extend the voting into WhatsApp, diwaniyas talking, etc. That was their today was made to “give a chance to the largest possible aim. number of voters to cast their ballots,” said an electoral Actually well done, they accomplished it. In my official. The commission added later that it extended the opinion, this was orchestrated by someone. It can- election because of a “heat wave that resulted in a crowd- not be out of innocence. I actually blame the gov- ing of voters during the evening hours”. ernment and the parliament. Kuwait no longer A comfortable win for Sisi over his sole rival, the leftist respects the parliament. It is a joke. I bet you, hold a Hamdeen Sabbahi, has never been seriously in doubt. But referendum among the Kuwaiti people about the Sabbahi slammed the extension, saying it raised “ques- existing parliament and see the results. Except for tions... about the integrity of the process.” And Sisi’s cam- those who are benefiting directly like the parlia- paign filed a complaint to the commission against the mentarians and their entourage, I doubt that extension, it said in a statement without elaborating. Kuwaitis believe any more in the parliament. I think Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood, subjected to a police crack- the rest of the nation is not interested in any parlia- down that has killed hundreds of its supporters, had ment - we’ve had enough. called for boycott and said it would not recognise the out- Either the parliament becomes more serious to come. So too have key activists behind the 2011 uprising solve our problems and our issues, or khalas, we that toppled long-time strongman Hosni Mubarak in don’t need it anymore. You might say I’m not demo- 2011. They fear Sisi is an autocrat in the making. cratic but excuse me, where is the democracy with The interior ministry said turnout on the first day was such a parliament. How many parliaments after par- about 16 million out of the country’s 53 million eligible liaments have we had since the last couple of years? voters. But the campaign of Sabbahi said its representa- What accomplishments were made? For me the tives at polling stations estimated turnout Monday at only only accomplishments are Mr Winter and Mr Green. 10-15 percent. Long live democracy. Continued on Page 15 MP: Raise nomination fee to end ‘absurdity’ Panel bans ‘nudity’ in public By A Saleh and B Izzak istered a day earlier wearing heavy winter clothing, paid the registration fee in loose change, and used KUWAIT: MP Saadoun Hammad yesterday proposed an inkpad to put his thumbprints on the registration an amendment to the electoral law to raise the papers. “The absurdity happened recently has noth- deposit candidates pay from just KD 50 to as high as ing to do with democracy, but rather is an insult to it,” KD 5,000. The lawmaker said the move will stop can- Hammad said. didates who are not serious from registering to con- Meanwhile, a National Assembly committee deal- test any election or attempting to make fun of the ing with tackling bad social behavior yesterday process, as witnessed during registrations for by- approved a proposal to ban “nudity” of women at all elections that are set to take place on June 26. swimming pools, public places and in hotels, head of Candidate Waleed Al-Nasser drew attention on the committee said. MP Hamdan Al-Azemi, head of Saturday when he appeared in an untraditional the committee for combating alien behavior, said the green bisht and announced that he will work to panel approved a proposal submitted by him to ban legalize the sale of liquor in Kuwait and allow gam- “nudity” of women at places accessible by the public. bling. Another candidate, Mohammad Al-Masri, reg- Continued on Page 15 WEDNESDAY, MAY 28, 2014 LOCAL Abdullah Al-Mutairi Abdullah Baqer Awatef Al-Qallaf Bassam Al-Asousee Eid Al-Majdi Eissa Al-Rasheedi KUWAIT: Eleven more candidates submitted their nomination papers for the National Assembly by-election yesterday, due on June 26, the Ministry of Interior’s Elections Affairs Department announced yesterday.