Apr.01, 2010

KUWAIT CITY, March 31: Judge Hammad Al-Othman has ordered the release of Amal — a Kuwaiti woman implicated in the money laundering case of former Bahraini Minister Mansour Bin Rajab after the security authorities found a check worth six million euros in her car — on KD1,000 bail. She was also banned from traveling outside Kuwait. During interrogations, Amal listened to a cassette recording of interrogations carried out by the Bahraini prosecution. She later recognized the voices of the former minister and another suspect, identified as Khalid D. Sources said the security authorities believe the voice of a woman from the recording belong to Amal. Asked about the check, Amal told investigators it belongs to Rajab as he is engaged in some commercial activities outside Kuwait. She revealed the former minister opened an account in a Lebanese bank and agreed to give her a certain percentage of the money if she can exchange it without facing any problem.

On the other hand, Attorney Faisal Al-Otaibi — Amal’s lawyer — said the voice on the audio cassette from the Bahraini prosecution does not match that of his client. Speaking at a press conference in his office Wednesday, Al-Otaibi affirmed the voices of Rajab and Khalid are clear in the recording, disclosing both men were discussing the transfer of money to the Iraqi opposition, Al-Sadr group in Iraq and Lebanese Hezbollah. He went on to say that Rajab asked Khalid to visit the Hezbollah leader and transfer $5,000 to his personal account. He added the two men also talked about sending money to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and Hezbollah. When asked about the money sent to the Iraqi opposition, Al-Otaibi asserted his client denied having any knowledge of the transaction. He added in another audio cassette he heard the former minister and Khalid talking about ways to send two million dollars to Al-Sadr group in Iraq. He affirmed his client identified all the voices in the cassettes, claiming Amal has been used as a ‘scapegoat’. He pointed out the brother of Amal and a Bedoun man are both victims in the case.

Al-Otaibi clarified his client has obtained KD 60,000 loan from a local bank, while her monthly salary is KD 700, so how can she get involved is such a huge money laundering case. On the alleged threats he received while he was in Bahrain, Al-Otaibi said he received the threats immediately after he talked to a journalist about the unveiling of documents to prove the involvement of the former minister. He added someone came to his hotel, asking him to join the defense team and told him that he will be responsible for whatever happens to him. He confirmed Sheikh Khalid Al-Fahad intervened and asked the Kuwaiti Embassy to provide him with security. He thanked Bahraini Interior Minister Sheikh Rashed Bin Essa and Kuwaiti ambassador to Bahrain for their efforts to ensure his safety during his stay in the country.

Al-Otaibi stated Khalid introduced himself as the former minister’s office manager to his client and asked Amal to give a gift to Rajab as a way to start business relations with the latter. Keen on establishing good relations with Rajab, Amal allegedly gave him a diamond ring worth KD 15,000. He added a Bahraini businesswoman introduced Amal, a frequent traveler to Bahrain, to Khalid. Clarifying it is not possible to cash a check worth six million euros without supporting documents from the company, Al-Otaibi said his client was advised to use the documents of Kuwait Technology Company. He said Khalid received KD 80, 000 to KD 90,000 from his client to start a project worth 300,000 euros to run a billiard hall and Internet cafe in Bahrain. He added the money was wired to Bahrain in installments.