Terrorism and the Law of Kuwait: the local responses to universal threats and international demands

This thesis will focus on four issues regarding terrorism and counterterrorism in Kuwait. It will first provide a comprehensive understanding of the threats and the phenomenon of terrorism in Kuwait since its independence in 1961. Second, this thesis will discuss the counterterrorism policies and agenda that Kuwait has adopted to react to terrorism. Third, the criminal offences related to terrorism in Kuwait will be examined. Finally, this thesis will evaluate measures intended to thwart financing terrorism in Kuwait before and after the ratification of the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism (1999).
Within these themes, this thesis will assess and evaluate the effectiveness of the abovementioned reactions by the Kuwaiti government. The thesis will also assess whether these reactions have impacted Kuwaiti constitutional values. Therefore, this research project will evaluate the fairness and appropriateness of these reactions with regard to Kuwaiti constitutional law and also with regard to international laws, including human rights.
Finally, this thesis will consider the reality that many of the causes of terrorism and many of the possible solutions to these causes do not originate in Kuwait. Nevertheless, Kuwait is not immune to the consequences of terrorism and the efforts of international laws and international partners to stop it. Therefore, this thesis will assess how far Kuwait, as a country in an area of the world that is greatly affected by terrorism, is able to look after its own interests in this regard or is subjected to the wishes of other countries, such as the United States, or the international community. This analysis is especially important, since Kuwait is a small country surrounded by much larger, more powerful, and largely unstable countries, such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Iraq.