Kuwait Minister Says Concern Over Muslim Brotherhood Common To Both Egypt And Kuwait; Sympathizes With UAE/Saudi Position

Islamist media is reporting that a Kuwaiti minister has said that concerns over the Muslim Brotherhood are a “common concern” for Egypt and Kuwait as well as implying sympathy for the position of Gulf States such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia on the Botherhood. According to the Middle East Monitor report:

The Muslim Brotherhood was a source of concern for Egypt and the Gulf states,’ the Anadolu agency reported the Kuwaiti Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah saying yesterday.

Speaking on TV, Al-Sabah said: ‘The security portfolio is a major common concern for Egypt and Kuwait… the issue has been discussed thoroughly including mechanisms to deal with it.’

‘The Muslim Brotherhood is undoubtedly a source of worry for our brothers in Egypt and in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states,’ he said.

Yesterday, Egypt’s President Abdel Fatah Al-Sisi ended a two day visit to Kuwait during which he met with Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad.

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In July of last year, the GMBDW reported that Kuwait was planning to close three branches of a charity associated with the Muslim Brotherhood in that country. We also reported that same month that a Kuwaiti MP had called for the country to outlaw the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization. 

Other relevant GMBDW coverage has included:

• In January 2014 we reported that the Kuwaiti Muslim Brotherhood had sharply criticized the Egyptian government’s decision to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist group.

• In February 2013, we reported that the Kuwaiti Muslim Brotherhood was supporting the formation of an opposition alliance.

• In January 2013, we reported that a Kuwaiti MP had alleged  there were Muslim Brotherhood “sleeper cells” operating in Kuwait.

•  In November 2012, we reported on  comments by the Dubai police chief accusing the Muslim Brotherhood of creating unrest in the UAE.  Lt. Gen. Dhahi Khalfan also said that UAE Muslim Brotherhood members who had been arrested had met with Kuwaiti Brotherhood “mentors”  including Tariq Al-Suwaidan. 

• In January 2012, German media reported that the Kuwaiti Muslim Brotherhood had boycotted the parliamentary elections which were won largely by Shiites. Despite the boycott, the Brotherhood won four seats.

In November 2013, two Carnegie Foundation analysts posted an article that looked at the status of the Muslim Brotherhood in Kuwait.