11 Hizbullah-Linked Lebanese Declared 'Persona Non Grata' in Kuwait
In a new series of expulsions, Kuwait has deported eleven Lebanese and three Iraqis after it has been proven that they belong to Hizbullah, the Kuwaiti al-Qabas daily reported on Monday.
“They have been deported at the request of Kuwait's state security apparatus,” the daily quoted a Kuwaiti security source as saying on condition of anonymity.
“The Assistant Undersecretary for Citizenship and Passports Major General Mazen Al-Jarrah has formed a specialized team to follow up on the requests of the state security with regard to the deportation requests,” the source stated.
“The State Security has prepared a new list that includes names of Lebanese and Iraqis some of whom are general managers or senior advisers in reputable companies who were declared persona non grata,” it added.
“They should be deported for Kuwait's public interest,” it pointed out, adding that “their expulsion will prevent them form entering the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council in the future.”
The move comes shortly after Kuwait announced last week that 1,100 Lebanese and Syrian nationals will be banned from renewing their residence permits for having direct links to Hizbullah.
Several of the expelled were forced to leave the country within a period of one month while the more “dangerous ones” were requested to leave immediately.
Last week, the Kuwaiti al-Rai newspaper said that Kuwaiti authorities have started to prepare lists of Hizbullah supporters to prevent their arrival in the country and others in anticipation of their deportation.
These measures began a week ago shortly after the GCC decided to consider Hizbullah as terrorist.
The GCC's blacklisting of Hizbullah came in wake of Saudi Arabia's decision in February to halt an army grant to the Lebanese army over the party's harsh stances against the kingdom and Foreign Minister Jebran Bassil's abstention to vote in favor of Arab League resolutions condemning attacks against Riyadh's embassy in Iran.
The Arab League last week also voted in favor of labeling Hizbullah as a terrorist group, amid the abstention of Lebanon, Iraq, and Algeria.
Saudi Arabia and Gulf countries have also issued travel advisories against Lebanon.
A number of Lebanese expatriates living in these countries have also been deported.
D.A.
G.K.
Source: Naharnet
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