Kuwait Identifies a Saudi Man as Suicide Bomber of the Shia Mosque · Global Voices
Faten Bushehri

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:
Kuwait's interior ministry says the bomber of Shia mosque was a Saudi #KuwaitAttack pic.twitter.com/VYsGfLuwmR
— أثير القطيف (@Qatifeed) June 28, 2015
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:
Photos taken from CCTV of suicide bomber as he entered packed mosque #kuwait with 2000 worshippers #تفجير_الكويت pic.twitter.com/7gldR7wXEx
— Ala'a Shehabi (@alaashehabi) June 26, 2015
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:
Amir of #Kuwait visits the grand mosque where the funeral of dozens killed in Friday mosque blast is taking place. pic.twitter.com/tkbV5oKwRL
— Zaid Benjamin (@zaidbenjamin) June 27, 2015
Amir of #Kuwait visits al-Imam al-Sadeq mosque where a suicide attack took place earlier. pic.twitter.com/XMNXf6jLJ4
— Zaid Benjamin (@zaidbenjamin) June 26, 2015
Meanwhile, people rushed to donate blood to those injured immediately after the bombing:
Kuwait Central Blood Bank, right now: #OneKuwait pic.twitter.com/CL5O2Xb7EF
— Azza F. Al-Jassim (@azzaaljassim) June 26, 2015
The victims were wrapped in Kuwaiti flags in preparation for their funerals:
Taking place now the funeral of the martyrs of the #Kuwait mosque bombing yesterday in Imam Al Sadiq mosque. pic.twitter.com/BqupryaPwO
— Mustafa al-Najafi (@MustafaNajafi) June 27, 2015
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:
سمو الامير و سمو ولي العهد يعزون ذوي الشهداء في المسجد الكبير #الكويت_قويه pic.twitter.com/9eIQy2dqYu
— الشبكة الإخبارية (@ShabakaQ8) June 27, 2015
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:
فيديو / مشيعيون ”ينعون“: يمّه ذكريني من تمر زفة شباب في تشييع شهداء #تفجير_مسجد_الإمام_الصادق . #الكويت_قوية pic.twitter.com/Q2AYHaRyVZ
— المجلس (@Almajlliss) June 27, 2015
Kuwaitis chanted “Brothers Sunnis and Shiites, we won't sell this homeland,” a chant commonly heard in Bahraini protests:
الكويت .. وما أدراك ما الكويت ! #الكويت_قوية #تفجير_مسجد_الإمام_الصادق pic.twitter.com/bb0UrP46P4
— المجلس (@Almajlliss) June 27, 2015
Another Twitter user under the name “Al Majilliss” shared a photographs of some of the victims:
الجنة للشهداء .. والمجد للكويت #الكويت_قوية #تفجير_مسجد_الإمام_الصادق pic.twitter.com/WaLbtxnrm6
— المجلس (@Almajlliss) June 27, 2015
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.
All Kuwaitis 🇰🇼 completely united and reject terrorism,what happened attempt to sabotage the Kuwaiti People's Union #KuwaitAttack #kuwait
— Bo.fahad alajmi (@mo6lak) June 27, 2015
You don't have to be Shiae to stand for the victims in Kuwait you just need to be a Human 💔 #KuwaitAttack #الكويت_قوية
— PH.Nouf A AlQahtani (@noufqtn) June 27, 2015
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.