SUBSCRIPTION THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015 SHAABAN 17, 1436 AH www.kuwaittimes.net Man’s arm stuck Wars hamper Abusing power: Interpol puts 2 in a toilet bowl fight against Why some ex-FIFA officials inside mosque hunger in relationships are on ‘red notice’ bathroom3 Middle7 East plain37 bad news wanted19 list Security forces raid farm Min 31º Max 46º in search of wanted ex-MP High Tide 10:15 & 12:30 Low Tide Al-Barrak remains at large; opposition fumes 06:30 & 19:35 40 PAGES NO: 16541 150 FILS By Nawara Fattahova KUWAIT: The Interior Ministry raided a farm in Abdally NA passes law to punish e-crimes owned by the brother of former parliamentarian Musallam Al-Barrak. Brigadier General Adel Al-Hashash, Head of Public Relations and Moral Guidance at the Ministry of Interior confirmed the raid but noted that Al- 10-year jail for setting up website for terror groups Barrak was not captured. “The police was following the law, and only went upon an order to arrest him and had By B Izzak a previous permission from the General Prosecutor to arrest him,” Al-Hashash told the Kuwait Times. Kuwait’s KUWAIT: The National Assembly yesterday passed a Cassation Court - the highest law to combat electronic crimes, stipulating a jail court in the country, upheld a term of up to 10 years for providing online assistance two-year jail sentence against the to terror groups and for money laundering. The legis- former lawmaker on May 18. The lation, supported in the first vote by 28 MPs and verdict is final and cannot be opposed by eight while two members abstained, appealed. tackles all crimes related to online activity and cyber “This ruling is without the space - including social media and others. The sec- slightest doubt political,” Al ond and final vote is due to be held on June 16 as Barrak reportedly said following some MPs said they will present amendments. the verdict. “I thank God that I am The lowest penalty under the law is a six-month not interested in wealth or pow- Former lawmaker jail term and a fine of up to KD2,000 for those who er and I will always uphold my Musallam Al-Barrak illegally use computers that belong to others. The dignity both inside the prison penalty increases if the misuse involves damaging or and outside,” he said at the time. The sentencing is for a altering data or information stored in the computer. speech Al-Barrak gave in October 2012 deemed insult- But the main penalty is a jail sentence for up to 10 ing to HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. years and a fine ranging between KD20,000 and Heated opposition to the dissolution of the elected KD50,000 for those who set up a website for terror February 2012 parliament, a change in the electoral sys- groups or publish news about them that could be tem and new elections that same year in December used for raising donations. The same penalty applies fueled the political opposition in Kuwait. to money laundering and to those who publish The Popular Action Bloc (HASHD) issued a statement methods for manufacturing explosives or any other following the farm raid that noted that Al-Barrak and device for terrorists. the Secretary General of HASHD were not arrested. Justice Minister Yacoub Al-Sane said similar laws HASHD condemned the “break in by police forces to Al- are applied in many European countries and the leg- Barrak’s farm at 3:30 am today with 15 vehicles, and islation is needed to fill a legislative vacuum dealing specifically with such crimes. MPs however were they pulverized the gate of the farm.” HASHD claimed divided on the law - though eventually the majority that the storming of the farm was illegal and conducted voted for it. KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Yaqoub Al-Sanea (center) talks to MPs during a par- without a search warrant, and it scared all the present Continued on Page 13 liament session at the National Assembly yesterday in Kuwait City. — AFP workers, who denied seeing the wanted ex-lawmaker. Al-Barrak remains at large. Obama signs new curbs on NSA surveillance into law WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama “My administration will work expedi- on Tuesday signed into law landmark leg- tiously to ensure our national security pro- Saudi Shiites islation ending the government’s bulk fessionals again have the full set of vital telephone data dragnet, significantly tools they need to continue protecting the reversing American policy by reining in country,” the president said. The bill halts bury victims the most controversial surveillance pro- the National Security Agency’s ability to gram since 9/11. The bill was given final scoop up and store metadata-telephone amid fears passage earlier Tuesday by the US Senate, numbers, dates and times of calls-from after being approved by the House several millions of Americans who have no con- DAMMAM: Prompted by fears of another deadly days earlier. nection to terrorism. suicide attack, cranes lowered concrete barricades The measure reauthorizes key national It shifts responsibility for storing the yesterday outside a Shiite mosque in Saudi Arabia security programs that had lapsed early data to telephone companies, allowing still reeling from a bombing claimed by the Islamic this week. “Glad the Senate finally passed authorities to access the information only VIENNA: Kuwaiti Oil Minister Ali Al-Omair (right) arrives at is hotel in Vienna pri- State group. The minority Shiite community was the USA Freedom Act. It protects civil liber- with a warrant from a secret counter-terror or to a meeting of OPEC. The 12-nation OPEC cartel, pumping some 30 percent preparing to bury four men-hailed as heroes-who ties and our national security,” President court that identifies a specific person or of the world’s oil, meets tomorrow for a semi-annual production gathering in were blown to bits Friday when they prevented the Barack Obama said on Twitter shortly group of people suspected of terror ties. Vienna. — AFP bomber from entering the hall of the Al-Anoud before he signed it. In a separate state- “It’s a historic moment,” Senator Patrick mosque in the Gulf city of Dammam. ment earlier, Obama chided lawmakers for Leahy, the senior Democratic sponsor of The ceremony comes more than a week after the “needless delay and inexcusable lapse the bill, said after the 67-32 vote, describ- Gulf OPEC members back tens of thousands turned out to pay their respects in important national security authorities,” ing the bill as “the first major overhaul of to 21 victims of a separate mosque bombing in the in the days leading up to the bill’s eventual government surveillance laws in decades.” keeping oil ceiling intact Sunni-majority kingdom. Both attacks were passage. Continued on Page 13 claimed by the Islamic State group, a Sunni extrem- KUWAIT: Kuwait Oil Minister Ali Al-Omair Saudi Oil Minister Ali Al-Naimi said on ist organization that considers Shiites to be said he “strongly believes” that Gulf OPEC Tuesday that OPEC’s strategy of not cut- heretics. Yesterday, the Interior Ministry released a members support keeping the cartel’s ting output to safeguard market share list of 16 men suspected of involvement in the sui- cide bombings, promising rewards of up to five mil- production ceiling unchanged at a cru- was working. Asked if this strategy had lion riyals ($1.33 million) for help in catching the cial meeting this week. In statements to been successful, Naimi told reporters: suspects. And anyone who provides information the official KUNA news agency on arrival “The answer is yes... Demand is picking that helps “foil a terrorist attack” could get seven in Vienna, Omair said that OPEC’s options up. Supply is slowing. This is a fact. The million riyals ($1.86 million), it said in a statement. were to “either to maintain or increase market is stabilizing.” Some other mem- Mohammed Al-Arbash, his brother Abdul Jalil, (the) production ceiling,” ruling out cuts. bers, particularly Venezuela and Iran, Mohammed Eisa and Abdul Hadi Al-Hashim died The 12-member Organization of have called for a production cut to sup- when a man dressed as a woman blew himself up Petroleum Exporting Countries is meet- port prices. Oil prices have lost almost at a rear entrance to Al-Anoud in Dammam, which ing tomorrow to decide on production half their value since June 2014, when has a mixed population of Sunnis and Shiites. “We levels for the second half of 2015, amid Brent traded at about $115 and New York are anxious something will happen in future but expectations that production levels will crude at almost $108 per barrel. we are taking care,” volunteer Ibrahim Abu Ahmed be maintained. Omair attributed the relative rise in oil told reporters inside the worship hall, which Omair said ministers of Gulf OPEC prices to OPEC having forced some high- appeared untouched by Friday’s attack. Several members which besides Kuwait include cost production offline, especially in the square meters of the rear parking lot are scorched heavyweight producer Saudi Arabia, the United States and Canada, and to an black after the blast, which Ahmed said blew the United Arab Emirates and Qatar will hold improvement in global economic chest of one victim about 100 meters. coordination talks ahead of the meeting. growth. He said he expected oil prices to Residents said three of the dead were volunteers Together, the four Gulf states pump increase further by the end of the year.