SUBSCRIPTION SATURDAY, AUGUST 16, 2014 SHAWWAL 19, 1435 AH No: 16256 Kuwait-India ‘Outsider’ Modi Man United start bilateral trade berates India’s afresh as Premier hits $18.21bn2 ruling11 elite League48 kicks off Islamic State a Max 48º 150 Fils ‘threat’ to GCC Min 30º ‘The monster is getting bigger’, Hezbollah raises alarm BEIRUT: The leader of Lebanese group Hezbollah described the radical Islamist movement that has seized territory in Iraq and Syria as a growing “monster” that could threaten Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and other Gulf states. Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, whose group has been helping Syria’s President Bashar Al- Assad fight a Sunni Islamist-dominated insurgency, said Islamic State could easily recruit in other areas where its hardline ide- ology exists. “Wherever there are followers of the ideology there is ground for (Islamic State), and this exists in Jordan, in Saudi Arabia, in Kuwait, and the Gulf states,” Nasrallah said in an interview with the Lebanese newspa- per Al-Akhbar published yesterday. Hassan Nasrallah Nasrallah, whose group is backed by Shiite Muslim power Iran, said Islamic State was encountering resistance in some parts of Iraq and Syria. But he added: “It appears that the capabilities, numbers and capacities available to (Islamic State) are vast and large. This is what is worry- ing everyone, and everyone should be worried.” Saudi Arabia, a Sunni Muslim monarchy that has been in a state of cold war with Shiite Iran and its allies, has shown growing signs of alarm about the spread of Islamic State. Last month, it deployed 30,000 soldiers at its border with Iraq. Saudi Arabia has also been a major sponsor of the anti-Assad uprising. Hezbollah’s role in Syria has helped Assad beat back the rebellion against his rule in critical areas of the country including Damascus and a cor- ridor of territory stretching north from the capital. But large parts DAHUK: An Iraqi woman and her daughter from the Yazidi community sleep under a bridge in Dahuk, 260 miles north- of Syria’s less densely populated north and east have fallen to west of Baghdad. The United Nations has announced its highest level of emergency for the humanitarian crisis in Iraq in Islamic State. the wake of the onslaught by Islamic militants who have overrun much of the country's north and west and driven out “This danger does not recognize Shiites, Sunnis, Muslims, hundreds of thousands from their homes. — AP Christians or Druze or Yazidis or Arabs or Kurds. This monster is growing and getting bigger,” said Nasrallah. Nasrallah reiterated PAGE PAGE his defense of Hezbollah’s role in the Syrian conflict, the focus of Kuwaiti shoots his Pope in Seoul, warns criticism from Lebanese opponents who say the group has pro- voked Sunni militant attacks in Lebanon. Most recently, insur- wife, kills himself of ‘cancer’ of despair gents including members of Islamic State seized the town of Arsal at the Syrian border, battling the Lebanese army for five days before withdrawing with 19 soldiers and 17 policemen as captives. Nasrallah said the insurgents would have advanced as far as Arab bank goes on trial the Lebanese coast were it not for Hezbollah’s role fighting them in areas of Syria just east of the Lebanese border. “Going to fight in Syria was, in the first degree, to defend Lebanon, the resistance for ‘financing terrorists’ in Lebanon, and all Lebanese,” he said. A Hezbollah commander was last month killed in Iraq near Mosul, a city seized by Islamic State in June, suggesting the group may also be helping pro-gov- NEW YORK: Jordan’s Arab Bank went on trial Thursday in If the court finds it guilty, the bank said such a ruling would ernment forces there. New York accused of aiding terror by transferring support place too much burden on the global banking system and Hezbollah has not officially announced any role in Iraq. funds to the families of Palestinians who died in the conflict its routine automatic transfers of trillions of dollars every Nasrallah linked the threat posed by Islamic State to the spread of with Israel. The families of several Americans killed in early day of money on behalf of clients not officially blacklisted. Wahhabism, a puritanical school of Islam followed in Saudi 2000s attacks by the Islamic movement Hamas said the “The facts show that Arab Bank provided routine banking Arabia that demands obedience to the ruler but which has been bank, which has a New York branch, was in violation of the services in compliance with applicable counterterrorism widely blamed for fuelling Sunni radicalism. “(Islamic State) does 2001 Anti-Terrorism Act when it served as a conduit for the laws and regulations, and had no intention of providing not have borders. There is a real danger and a real fear among money from a Saudi Arabian fund to the Palestinian families. support to Hamas or any other known terrorist organiza- many states and authorities, because one of the advantages of But the bank argued on the first day of the trial that it tion,” it said. this organization is its capacity to recruit among followers of Al- could not be connected to the attacks cited by the accusers. Continued on Page 13 Qaeda-Wahhabi thought,” he said. — Reuters LOCAL SATURDAY, AUGUST 16, 2014 KUWAIT: School children sing Indian patriotic song. KUWAIT: Indian Ambassador Sunil Jain with Indian diplomats during the flag-hoisting ceremony. Indian Embassy celebrates I-Day Kuwait-India bilateral trade hits $18.21 billion KUWAIT: The Indian Embassy, Kuwait yesterday celebrated India’s domestic workers participated in the Independence Day celebrations 68th Independence Day in the presence of a large crowd of Indians with great joy and enthusiasm, reflecting India’s rich ethnic, linguistic, who thronged the embassy premises to attend the ceremony despite religious and cultural diversity in Kuwait. the summer heat. Indian Ambassador Sunil Jain unfurled the national The ambassador in his speech emphasized that India-Kuwait rela- tri-color which was followed by the singing of the national anthem. tions have been historically close, warm and friendly. He commended The ambassador read out Indian President Pranab Mukherjee’s the contribution of the Indian community in Kuwait’s socio-economic address to the nation. The Bohra community’s band played a variety development and in nurturing India-Kuwait ties. He expressed grati- of marching tunes to the delight of the assembled gathering. This tude to the state of Kuwait for the good treatment accorded to his was followed by the singing of patriotic songs by Indian associations. community in the country. He extended his warmest greetings to all members of the Indian community in Kuwait. The ambassador also highlighted several meas- ures taken by the embassy for the welfare of the Indian community, eg, opening of an outsource centre at Abbassiya, “Open House” in the embassy on all working days and the availability of embassy auditori- KUWAIT: Indian Ambassador Sunil Jain addresses the Indian um to various Indian associations for social and cultural activities. community during the Independence Day celebrations at the Bilateral trade Indian Embassy yesterday. — Photos by Joseph Shagra Trade exchanges between Kuwait and India reached $18.21 billion in the 2013-2014 year, the ambassador said. The visit by His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah to India last November gave a new boost to the growing bilateral relations between the state, he said. He indicated at a series of reciprocal visits by senior Indian and Kuwaiti leaders that also contributed to strength- ening the bilateral ties. Joint government-level working groups held meetings last June for cooperation in various sectors namely hydrocarbons and labor, he said adding that the Indian and Kuwaiti foreign ministries planned a round of talks in September. The ambassador touched upon the KUWAIT: The Indian national flag being unfurled at the cooperation India maintains with the GCC states saying that his coun- embassy. try imports 70 percent of its energy supplies from the countries of the A large section of Indian community from all walks of life repre- region. India, he elaborated, would continue cooperation with other senting businesspersons, doctors, engineers, chartered accountants, nations to tackle diverse issues of common concern, namely terror- technicians in oil & gas sector, construction workers, nurses and ism, food and energy security. KUWAIT: Bohra community’s musical band plays patriotic song. KUWAIT: A mammoth crowd, who came from the all walks of life of the Indian community, attends the Independence Day celebrations. LOCAL SATURDAY, AUGUST 16, 2014 Kuwaiti woman with MERS symptoms quarantined KUWAIT: A woman with special needs, who is tionary measures were taken to ensure the safety suspected of contracting the deadly Middle East of other Social Center residents as well as the Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) medical team who has been with the case. At during an overseas trip has been quarantined least three MERS-CoV cases have been reported here the Minister of Social Affairs and Labor in Kuwait since the new outbreak of the deadly Hend Sabeeh Al-Sabeeh announced yesterday. virus in the Gulf region in 2012. The Middle East Al-Sabeeh, also Minister of State for Planning Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV), and Development Affairs, said that the woman which can cause coughing, fever and pneumo- who is a resident of a Social Care Center has nia, has been reported in people in the Gulf, been transferred to the communicable diseases France, Germany, Italy, Tunisia and Britain. hospital for treatment and quarantined till the Scientists say they believe dromedary camels in release of final laboratory tests results and hospi- the Middle East may be the animal “reservoir” tal report on the case.