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Kuwait Identifies a Saudi Man as Suicide Bomber of the Shia Mosque

Written byFaten Bushehri

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Read this post in Malagasy, Español, বাংলা
Posted 28 June 2015 19:14 GMT

Kuwait News Agency (Kuna) has identified the suicide bomber of Imam Al-Sadiq mosque as Fahad Suleiman Abdulmohsen Al-Gabbaa. Authorities stated he was a Saudi national who flew to Kuwait by air on the morning of the attack and entered through Kuwait International Airport. The Kuwaiti Ministry of Interior later said the attacker was born in 1992.

ISIS had claimed responsibility for the attack on the Shia mosque which left 27 people killed and more than 200 injured. The attack came after two separate attacks in earlier weeks on Shia mosques in the Eastern province of Saudi Arabia.

This YouTube video is a slideshow of photographs compiled after the blast.

Like many other Twitter users, Qatifeed from Saudi Arabia tweeted to his 11K followers a photograph of Al-Gabbaa:

Other Twitter users shared photographs of the suicide bomber moments before he entered the main hall of the mosque. The pictures were taken from the mosque's CCTV. Bahraini activist Ala'a Shehabi shares some pictures:

The Kuwaiti government also announced it had arrested several people in connection with the attack. Among those arrested was 26-year-old Abdul-Rahman Sabah Aidan, who is reported to be the designated driver, who drove the suicide bomber to the mosque.

Kuwait declared a mourning day on Saturday and held a mass funeral to bury the 27 people who were killed in the blast at the mosque in Al-Sawabir district in Kuwait city on June 26.

Immediately after the attack, the Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Sabah paid a visit to the site of the blast, and later joined the people in their mourning at the Grand Mosque, the largest Sunni mosque in Kuwait. He also ordered the reconstruction of the damaged mosque.

Radio Sawa journalist Zaid Benjamin tweeted photographs and a video of the Emir's visit:

Meanwhile, people rushed to donate blood to those injured immediately after the bombing:

The victims were wrapped in Kuwaiti flags in preparation for their funerals:

Sunni and Shia Kuwaitis gathered for a funeral procession and prayed side by side at Kuwait's Grand Mosque.

Here is a photograph of the Emir at the mosque, mourning the victims:

Twitter hashtags have been headlining social media, the latest being the Arabic hashtag “Kuwait is Strong” where people posted their condolences and solidarity, as well as sharing photographs showing the unity of both Sunnis and Shiites in the country.

Twitter users tweeted videos from the funeral:

Kuwaitis chanted “Brothers Sunnis and Shiites, we won't sell this homeland,” a chant commonly heard in Bahraini protests:

Another Twitter user under the name “Al Majilliss” shared a photographs of some of the victims:

Kuwait has shown strong unity following blast that targeted the Shias in Kuwait. People on Twitter emphasized that Kuwait is for both Sunnis and Shias and they won't allow ISIS to divide their society.

The international community joined members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to condemn the attack on the Shia mosque, and offered condolences to the Kuwaiti ruling family and people.

Check out Global Voices Checkdesk for more updates and reactions to this story: Suicide Bomb Attack on a Mosque on Kuwait.

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Written byFaten Bushehri

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