Kuwait 2007 Crime & Safety Report

Kuwait 2007 Crime & Safety Report
Crime & Safety
Middle East / N. Africa - Kuwait 11 May 2007

Overall Crime and Safety Situation: The Department of State rates Kuwait as low threat for crime. The incidence of crime in Kuwait City remains low. The Government of Kuwait (GOK) maintains a high police profile, with large numbers of uniformed and plain-clothes officers on the streets. Each district and governate have police stations operating under the direction of the Ministry of Interior (MOI) Directorate of Public Safety. Incidents of street crime do occur, and instances have been reported to the embassy’s Regional Security Office (RSO) recently that required monitoring and disseminating security notices. Of particular concern is an alarming number of incidents involving persons impersonating police officers and then assaulting victims, who are primarily third-country nationals (TCNs) and who are more susceptible to intimidation. The evolving modus operandi (MO) involves a male in plain clothes and an unmarked vehicle stopping a TCN, whether on foot or in a vehicle, asking for his ID, then demanding the person get into the impostor’s vehicle without any explanation of their offense or their destination. The TCN is then driven to a deserted area and assaulted. The British Embassy released a Warden Notice about an assault that took place in February 2007 that did not involve a British National, but occurred in the Manghaf neighborhood where a large number of British citizens reside. In this case, a TCN was taken in broad daylight from a public area by a police impostor and assaulted, employing the aforementioned MO. A second Warden Notice from the British Embassy in March detailed an incident behind U.S. Embassy Kuwait, at a shopping center in Mishref, where two young men believed to be local nationals forced a British male teenager into their vehicle late one evening and made sexual advances toward him. The victim escaped by throwing himself from the moving vehicle, where a passing Kuwaiti military vehicle offered assistance and returned him home safely. Based on a long-standing relationship of mutual cooperation and information-sharing, the Regional Security Office (RSO) at U.S. Embassy Kuwait distributed Security Notices based on the British reports advising staff of these specific instances and included personal security guidance for all employees and their family members. Violent crime is primarily confined within the TCN community, which comprises the majority of the manual labor force in Kuwait: approximately two-thirds of Kuwait’s residents. It is probable that a high percentage of crimes in the TCN community go unreported because of lack of police responsiveness. The threat of immediate deportation looms large for many of these guest workers, who generally prefer to remain below the radar of the GOK. Although several districts within Kuwait City are known to have higher incidences of crime, only one area - Jahra - remains generally off-limits to official embassy personnel. One factor contributing to the high rate of crime in Jahra is the inability of the police to enforce laws in areas where tribal customs take precedence. Known offenders regularly intimidate foreign guest workers, including ones employed by U.S. companies and U.S. military bases, by damaging vehicles, starting fires in trash cans and harassing them coming into and out from their residences. This is not due to any affiliation to the United States or U.S. military efforts; instead, it is simply because these criminals feel they can act with impunity. These gangs made up of young Bidoon men are supposed to be subject to their tribal mores first, but the tribal structure has not been effective in reigning them in, which hinders the efforts of police to crack down on their activity. Residential crime remains low. There have been no reported break-ins at any official embassy residences within the past year, nor have any vehicles been stolen. A domestic employee of an embassy employee fell victim to a purse-snatcher on a motorbike outside of the employee’s residence one afternoon last summer, but the perpetrator was captured in the same neighborhood days after the attack by police, and successfully prosecuted with assistance from the housemaid. It is not uncommon for embassy staff and dependents to report suspicious persons in their neighborhoods to the RSO, but the majority of these instances have been resolved without any criminal or other hostile intent discovered. There are no reports of petty thefts against the official American community in any of the popular outdoor markets or shopping malls frequented by tourists and westerners living in Kuwait. However, the opportunity for such crime does exist. It is understood that individuals should not assume that they can maintain a carefree attitude in these venues. Additionally, vehicle break-ins, although rare, do occur if valuables are left in plain view. Visiting Americans are urged to take the same security precautions in Kuwait that one would practice in the United States. Hotel room doors should be locked when in residence and valuables should be stored in hotel safes when available. Visitors would be wise to instruct the hotel management not to divulge their room numbers over the telephone to any callers; only to connect them to their room or to take a message. Incidents of harassment and road rage, although infrequent, do occur and appear to be on the rise. Females have reported being occasionally accosted or harassed by Arab or South Asian males, particularly while driving alone in the early morning or late night hours. Several instances have recently been brought to the attention of the RSO. These involved male drivers attempting forcefully to stop a female driver using their vehicle in the most serious scenario, or, in a less serious scenario, attempting to attract the female’s attention, most likely in an attempt to socialize (obtain a phone number or arrange a date). The new twist to this vehicular flirtation is when the male identifies himself as a police or military officer and utilizes this authority to command compliance. Of particular concern in these instances is how one determines if the person is legitimate or is indeed an impostor. In all of the reports received by the RSO, the person who initiated the action was not in any uniform and was not in a clearly marked official GOK police or military vehicle. Police do have the authority to make traffic stops while in civilian clothes and in their personal vehicles, and must identify themselves with their police ID, which has both Arabic and English written on it. The guidance we have suggested advises individuals to remain in their own vehicles with the doors locked, lowering the window only enough to receive the person’s police identification. While checking the bona fides as best as possible, use your mobile phone to alert someone of your situation and if at all possible to meet you. Tell the person you will agree only to follow him to a police station, and specify which one, keeping your mobile phone open so the person you called can hear the destination. Lastly, relay the license plate number of the person’s vehicle to your colleague on the phone if at all possible. While Kuwait is considered in many ways a progressive and tolerant country, allowing women to drive, vote and hold public office, it still remains an Islamic country where conservative customs and dress are the norm. Harassment can be reduced if visitors behave and dress conservatively and maintain a respectful demeanor and a low profile. Personnel are advised to avoid confrontations, and to move away from angry, threatening or aggressive persons, either on foot or in vehicles. Incidents of pursuit, extremely aggressive and reckless driving, and vehicle gamesmanship, in which vehicles play a form of high-speed pursuit cat and mouse on the freeways, often ends in disaster when a vehicle is forced off the road, or has a collision with another vehicle on the crowded highways. Speed is the most common factor involved in accidents in Kuwait, and it is a very common sight to pass the remnants of another horrific accident, usually in the form of a mangled car chassis, alongside the highway. Road conditions and weather are favorable most of the year in Kuwait, but drivers must remain defensive and alert to the hazards posed by others that neglect to yield in merges, cut across lanes to exit, drive aggressively and at excessive rates of speed, pass on shoulders and often operate without headlights at night. Unexploded bombs, mines, and other ordnance from the 1991 Gulf War remain present in some areas in Kuwait. U.S. Embassy Kuwait urges caution if traveling off paved surfaces outside of Kuwait City. Very recently, another incident of unexploded ordnance recently took the life of a TCN worker in the northern desert near the border checkpoint with Iraq. The man had apparently attempted to rest on a pile of rocks that was intended to mark the ordnance. Unexploded ordnance has also been discovered in piles of sand used at construction sites, including at Camp Arifjan, the largest U.S. military base in the country. Like many other embassies in the gulf region, Kuwait receives threat information indicating official and private Americans may be targeted for terrorist attacks. Soft targets such as western hotels and restaurants can be considered vulnerable to terrorist attack, although many are making improvements to their perimeter and internal security. American citizens are also advised to avoid apartment complexes where Americans or other Westerners are generally known to congregate in large numbers. We recommend that Americans maintain a low profile and vary routes and times for required travel, thus avoiding predictable schedules. Political Violence For several years after the September 2001 attacks against the World Trade Center and Pentagon, Kuwait City had experienced no major demonstrations or other related violence. During this time, Kuwait remained a strong ally to the United States, even after the U.S. military invasion into Iraq and the subsequent onset of insurgent violence began to reverberate throughout the region. In early 2006, the controversy over Danish cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed sparked several demonstrations in the country, but these remained peaceful and uneventful. However, when Israel attacked Lebanon last summer in response to two Israeli soldiers being taken hostage, several large protests occurred, including two at the U.S. Embassy, and the level of outrage and anti-American rhetoric was both surprising and unprecedented. While there were no injuries or damage during the protests, the police were not prepared for how quickly the second demonstration materialized and grew in numbers, as both manifestations numbered in the hundreds, and demonstrators burned American and Israeli flags, while brazenly waving the yellow flag of Hezbollah and chanting "Death to Israel" and "Death to America." Since events calmed in Lebanon and Israel, there have been no other major demonstrations in Kuwait City. While these events were isolated, it clearly illustrates how quickly certain events can evoke an emotional response even in a country not known for political demonstrations or violence. The primary threat to U.S. personnel in Kuwait comes from individuals with links to al-Qa'ida and regional jihadist networks. In January 2005, Kuwait police and special forces attempted to arrest members of an indigenous terrorist organization known as the Peninsula Lions. Two major gun battles occurred and both sides suffered casualties; however the majority of the group’s members have since been captured or killed. In July 2004, Kuwaiti security forces arrested up to 20 individuals who were engaged in recruitment, training and financing of local youth for terrorist operations in Iraq and Kuwait. These arrests are an indication of the development of extremist elements in Kuwait. In 2002 and 2003, individuals were able to conduct lethal attacks against U.S. military and civilian contractors in Kuwait. While there have been no lethal attacks in the last 12 months, the presence in Kuwait of large numbers of U.S. military and contractor personnel in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom continues to make Kuwait a target-rich environment. Post-specific Concerns American citizens traveling to Kuwait should be aware that possession of drugs and alcohol is illegal. Additionally, pornographic materials, weapons, and pork products are confiscated if discovered during customs checks at the airport. Luggage is X-rayed or searched by customs authorities upon entry into the country. Both women and men should dress conservatively at all times. Shorts and sleeveless shirts are discouraged from being worn in public. Throughout Kuwait the chances of getting involved with a motor vehicle accident are far greater then being a victim of a criminal or terrorist act. Simply said, driving in Kuwait is hazardous. Kuwait has excellent well-lit highways, but many Kuwaitis drive their vehicles in excess of 100 miles per hour, and weave through traffic at high rates of speed. Night driving is particularly dangerous because many drivers do not turn on their headlights. Police Response Dial 777 from any telephone to contact the emergency services. Police response to requests for assistance to American expatriates is generally good. However, switchboard operators may not speak English or do so very poorly. If possible, visitors who do not speak Arabic should request assistance from an Arabic speaker. Medical Emergencies There are many government and private medical facilities available in Kuwait. the following are hospitals that have been successfully used by official U.S. government personnel for routine and/or emergency care. Al Amiri Hospital Poison center - 241-8165/246-8537 International Clinic - 574-5111 Al-Salam Hospital - 253-3177/8/9 Mubarak Al Kabir Hospital - 531-2700 Al-Sabah Hospital - 481-5000/2000 Hadi Clinic - 531-2555 Dental Emergencies Kuwait Dental Clinic - 575-9044/45/46 Abhal Dental Specialty Center - 261-0534/8/9 Al-Fozan Dental Center - 261-9557/262-4152 Payment for Services: Americans are urged to consult with their medical insurance company prior to traveling abroad to confirm whether their policy applies overseas and whether it will cover emergency expenses such as a medical evacuation. Most hospitals and doctors accept major credit cards; otherwise, cash is accepted up front for services rendered. Patients will need to go through their insurance company to get reimbursed. Ambulance Service: Local ambulance service is available by dialing 777. Unfortunately, ambulance personnel are not trained like U.S. Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) and they carry no life-saving equipment on board. Should you have an emergency, it is advisable to always have an understanding of where you are located. Without addresses and street names, out of the way places are difficult to find. Tips On How To Avoid Becoming a Victim Americans should maintain a low profile, vary routes and times for all travel to the extent possible, and treat mail and packages from unfamiliar sources with suspicion. All Americans are urged to be wary of unexpected visitors and to pay particular attention to suspicious vehicles. Any suspicious activities or vehicles should be reported to the RSO. The neighborhoods of Khaitan and Farwaniya, located on the outskirts of Kuwait City International Airport, are recognized and identified as high-crime areas due to criminal elements operating drug, prostitution, gambling, and black market enterprises. This area is populated by TCNs who are poorly paid. Consequently, they turn to crime to support themselves. Kuwaiti police prefer to contain these elements within this area rather then confront them directly. While violent crimes of rape, theft and murder occur in this location, they typically occur between TCNs, not Kuwaitis or Westerners. Americans are urged to avoid this area altogether, but particularly at night.