KUWAIT: MP Abdullah Al-Maayouf said yesterday that a draft law proposed by fellow lawmaker Saleh Ashour to counter terrorist groups should have included Lebanon's Hezbollah and Iraq's Dawa Party besides the Islamic State group. A few days ago, Ashour submitted a draft law calling to consider the Islamic State as a terrorist group and also stipulating a jail term of between 10 and 20 years for those convicted of establishing or promoting terrorist groups.

Maayouf said the Hezbollah and Dawa groups should have been included in the new bill away from any sectarian considerations. Kuwaiti courts have passed rulings against dozens of members, sympathizers and financiers of the Islamic State for being associated with an outlawed organization because Kuwaiti law does not specifically consider the Islamic State as a terrorist group. The law will be studied by the National Assembly after the summer recess in October, but the Assembly's panels are expected to review the bill during the summer recess.

Maayouf also strongly criticized the head of the Kuwait Football Association Sheikh Talal Al-Fahd, claiming he is trying to survive in his post after a new sports law became effective yesterday after its publication in the official gazette Kuwait Al-Youm. He charged that Sheikh Talal has been trying to seek help from outside the country, totally ignoring Kuwaiti domestic laws.

In a related development, MP Abdullah Al-Turaiji yesterday called on the Minister of Information and Youth Sheikh Salman Al-Humoud Al-Sabah to follow up the implementation of the new sports law, especially after its publication in the official gazette. Turaiji urged the minister to speed up the implementation of the law, adding that the new legislation provides the minister with powers necessary to deal with the incorrect situation in the sports sector and for holding to account those responsible for the deterioration of sports in Kuwait.

The lawmaker said that those who contributed to the suspension of Kuwaiti sports should be aware that they will not escape punishment. He said the new law will respond to demands by the Kuwaiti people to reform the situation in the sports sector.

Meanwhile, MP Ahmad Al-Qudhaibi vowed yesterday that he will hold the government to account in the next term over the delay in issuing the bylaws of the anti-corruption law. He said that the law, which was published in February, states that its bylaws should be issued within two months after its publication in the gazette.

By B Izzak