50 Detained As Interior Busts Vote-Buying Ring

SUBSCRIPTION SUNDAY, JULY 21, 2013 RAMADAN 12, 1434 AH www.kuwaittimes.net Syrian war Pioneering China’s Wu and widens rift journalist Helen Shi win 3-meter Emsak: 03:20 between Shiite Thomas dies synchro gold Fajer: 03:30 Dohr: 11:54 Asr: 15:29 Maghreb: 18:46 7 9 20 Eshaa: 20:15 50 detained as Interior Max 49º Min 35º busts vote-buying ring High Tide 08:16 & 22:53 306 candidates battle for 50-seat National Assembly Low Tide 02:23 & 16:18 40 PAGES NO: 15876 150 FILS By B Izzak KUWAIT: With just six days to go for the July 27 election, the withdrawals door has closed. 306 candidates remain in the race for the 50-seat National Assembly as the Interior Ministry has busted at least three suspected three vote-buying operations. Security men have arrested more than 50 men and women, most of whom caught red-handed organizing major vote-buying operations in various constituencies, with some of the operations involving former MPs. The main bust was in Jabriya when detectives arrested 36 Kuwaitis operating at a villa to lure voters to pur- chase their votes and seized large amounts of cash. The arrested people were reportedly working for a new candidate, a well-known businessman. Similar raids were carried out on at least three more places and several people were also caught in the act. Security sources said that some of those arrested have confessed to organizing vote-buying processes. Arrest warrants have been issued against the businessman candidate and a member of the scrapped National Assembly, while reports indicated that police busted another ring buying votes for a former MP who is also a member of the scrapped Assembly in the Fifth Constituency. Police action came after a flurry of allega- tions that corruption and vote-buying processes were rampant in the election and after a local daily and former opposition MP Mussallam Al-Barrak said influential people have established multi-million-dinar funds to influence the election results. They claimed that two funds, worth around KD18 mil- KUWAIT: Supporters of parliamentary candidates Bassel Al-Jasser (inset right) and former Speaker of the annulled par- lion, were established to finance certain candidates liament Ali Al-Rashid (inset left) listen during an electoral campaign in Kuwait City. Kuwait will hold a second parlia- through vote-buying with the aim to ensure the success of mentary election in eight months on July 27 amid a political crisis that has stalled development in the wealthy Gulf 25 candidates of their supporters, or half of the Assembly. state. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat Continued on Page 15 Ramadan Kareem Israel to free ‘heavyweight’ prisoners Origins of Girgian By Asma Al-Rifai A ‘gesture’ for Palestinian peace talks any visitors and new comers to Kuwait often JERUSALEM: Israel has agreed to release on Friday that Israel and the Palestinians that Israel free prisoners held since ty that should precede any agreement. ask about ‘Girgian’. It is a purely Kuwaiti tradi- Palestinian prisoners in order to resume had laid the groundwork to resume talks before 1993, when the two sides signed There are about 100 pre-Oslo prison- Mtion, and nothing to do with Islam at all. peace talks, but will not yield to other after an almost three-year stalemate, but the Oslo Accords - a interim deal intend- ers in Israeli jails, according to the Girgian is a wonderful reward and a unique celebra- demands the Palestinians say must be that the deal was not final and required ed to lead to an independent state the Palestinian Prisoners Club, a Palestinian tion aimed for Kuwaiti children for the hard work of met before they return to the negotiat- more diplomacy. “There will be some Palestinians seek in East Jerusalem, the body that looks after the interests of fasting during Ramadan that beholds many meanings ing table. Strategic Affairs Minister Yuval release of prisoners,” Steinitz told Israel West Bank and the Gaza Strip. “In all inmates and their families. Steinitz indi- and great results. Steinitz said yesterday that Israel was Radio. “I don’t want to give numbers but meetings held by President Abu Mazen cated that some of those who would be Girgian takes place in the three mid days of prepared to release some “heavyweight” there will be heavyweight prisoners who (Mahmoud Abbas) with Kerry and oth- released had been convicted of violent Ramadan (13, 14,15th) in the lunar calendar. Children prisoners but could not accept have been in jail for tens of years.” The ers, the Palestinian demand to release crimes against Israelis. “It will not be put on their Kuwaiti traditional dress and carry with Palestinian demands over the borders of release would be carried out in phases, the prisoners topped the agenda,” said simple, but we will make that gesture,” them a cloth bag. They go out after evening prayer in their future state before talks begin. he added. Abbas’s spokesman, Nabil Abu Rdaineh. he said. the neighborhood knocking on doors to get treats of US Secretary of State John Kerry said Palestinians have long demanded “Freeing prisoners is a Palestinian priori- Continued on Page 15 candy and nuts. The children sing a special song that wishes the person they are singing for everlasting peace and good relations with the family, especially Bin Laden son-in-law the mother. While singing, the children hold their bags up, slightly opening the top for the house owner to pour accuses US of torture in a cup-full of treats into the bag. The treats consist of three main components: candies, nuts, and money. A NEW YORK: Osama Bin Laden’s son-in-law Ghaith’s lawyers will seek to challenge the while back, the candy was primarily toffee and caramel has asked a New York court to throw out US government’s conduct in the “war on squares and the nuts were mostly peanuts. However, terrorism charges against him, partly on terror.” Prosecutors declined to comment today, the candy and nuts have expanded into new the grounds he had been tortured on the on the dismissal motion. They have three dimensions of the latest Cadbury Chocolates and flight that brought him to the United weeks to respond, and the judge then has finest nuts. States. In a motion seeking the dismissal two weeks to set a date for a ruling or a Not surprisingly, the children’s favorite part is the of the case, lawyers for former Al-Qaeda hearing on the issues raised. Abu Ghaith money which is mostly coins and sometimes quarter spokesman Sulaiman Abu Ghaith also was detained by US agents in Jordan at or half Dinar. If the children are lucky, they might get claimed US officials had colluded with the end of February and flown to New two cups of treats and sometimes three, but that is not Iran over his detention there for more York. He was indicted on March 1 on a usual since the owners must save treats for the others. than a decade after the 9/11 attacks. single count of conspiracy to kill US The children continue singing until every child gets KANDAHAR: Afghan boys read from Quran during the Muslim holy month of The move marks the first salvo of a nationals. their share. Then they warmly thank the owners and Ramadan at a mosque in the city of Kandahar, Afghanistan yesterday. — AP landmark legal battle in which Abu Continued on Page 15 leave the house, going to the next in the neighborhood, asking for treats. In recent years some young mothers developed the Dubai frees Britons idea of Girgian by packing candy and nuts creatively in Three die as Egypt’s fancy boxes and then sending it to family, friends and DUBAI: Three Britons jailed for more than a year in neighbors. Some non-Kuwaiti families don’t celebrate Dubai on drugs charges have been freed as part of an Girgian and don’t provide the children with treats rival factions clash amnesty for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, a which can break their spirit at times; however, recently, British legal charity said yesterday. The three were sen- all families, Kuwaiti or not, have joined the celebration tenced to four years in jail in April, and said they had and are more than happy to reward and show appreci- CAIRO: Three women died in clashes between loyalists with tens of thousands rallying in Cairo to demand the been tortured following their arrest. ation for the hard work of these children. and opponents of Egypt’s ousted Islamist president Islamist leader’s reinstatement. Before Friday’s demon- Grant Cameron, Karl Williams and Suneet Jeerh, all in This tradition has been going on since the early Mohamed Morsi, medics said yesterday, despite warn- strations, the army warned that it would decisively con- their 20s, were arrested during a holiday in the United days of the state of Kuwait and it’s shared by many ings by the military that it would crackdown on violent front any violent protesters. “Whoever resorts to vio- Arab Emirates (UAE) in July 2012. Police said they had countries of the Arabian Gulf. To understand why protests. “Three people were killed and seven others lence in Friday’s protests will endanger his life, and will found a form of synthetic cannabis in their hire car. All three had pleaded not guilty to charges of possessing Girgian has become a reward, there must be an under- wounded by birdshot and stabbing attacks during be treated with utmost decisiveness, within legal standing to how Ramadan is hard work.

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