Awqaf Ministry responds to MP Ashour

KUWAIT: The Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs issued a statement in response to MP Saleh Ashour’s comments in which he criticized the ministry’s plans to offer rehabilitation programs to Kuwaitis returning from fighting with the Islamic State (IS) group. The returnees will be enrolled in rehabilitation programs only after the Interior Ministry takes legal action against them, the Awqaf Ministry explained. It added that it had a very clear attitude towards IS ever since the organization was formed, and that it has incriminated all deeds and statements made by the group. It also condemned all the crimes IS members have committed against innocent people. The ministry added that it also issued a document explaining Islam’s moderation, and which calls for rejecting violence and urges people not to travel to Iraq and Syria to fight with IS insurgents.

The ministry also explained that taking security measures in this case are out of its jurisdiction, and that it only deals with ideologies in attempts to rectify extremists’ beliefs through rehabilitation programs. Further, the ministry explained that rehabilitation takes place in two phases; first for those in prisons and the second deals with prisoners after they are released. Adding that it had participated in rehabilitating the ‘Peninsula Lions’ and Guantanamo Bay prison returnees through special programs to help them fit back into the society.