Kuwait foils 'ISIS plot' targeting vital infrastructure and arrests suspect

Kuwait's security services claim they have thwarted a terrorist plot targeting crucial infrastructure and have apprehended a suspect allegedly linked to ISIS, according to a report from wire material. The suspect was detained following "meticulous" security surveillance operations. Investigations revealed that the suspect had undergone training in explosives manufacturing and drone operation, and had constructed a drone with the intent to target a vital facility.

The suspect has been handed over to authorities for further investigation and legal proceedings. Kuwait's security services vowed to maintain vigilance against any threats to the nation's security and stability, emphasizing that they would confront suspicious activities firmly in line with the law.

Following their expulsion from former territories in Iraq and Syria by 2019, ISIS has established cells in multiple countries worldwide. In 2024, ISIS carried out an attack at a mosque in Oman, resulting in six fatalities. In 2024, Kuwaiti security forces arrested two Kuwaiti citizens and three Tunisians in connection with an alleged ISIS plot against Shiites. In 2015, a suicide bomber, believed to be a Saudi national, killed 26 worshippers and injured over 200 at a Shiite mosque in Kuwait.

The United Nations' latest assessment on ISIS, published this month, indicated that the extremist group is struggling, retaining its propaganda and capacity to incite violence, but lacking a cohesive strategy across its network. Gulf states have encountered various security challenges this year due to attacks by Iran and alleged domestic plots aligned with the Iranian regime.

In March, Kuwait arrested numerous individuals suspected of ties to the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. During the operation, the Ministry of Interior stated that six individuals confessed to espionage and terrorist activities, including training in assassination skills. Of the six, five were Kuwaiti citizens. Additionally, 14 suspects, comprising Kuwaitis, Lebanese, and Iranians, were identified outside the country.

Another case involved the detention of 14 Kuwaitis and two Lebanese citizens associated with the Iran-backed group within Kuwait, suspected of a "sabotage plot."