Kuwait upholds death for Iran spy cell ‘mastermind’

KUWAIT CITY: Kuwait’s court of appeals on Thursday upheld the death sentence for a citizen convicted of forming a pro-Iran cell and plotting attacks in the Gulf state.

Hasan Abdulhadi Ali has been a member of Lebanon’s Hizbullah militia since 1996 and is "the mastermind of the cell" of 26 members who had been accused of plotting attacks, the court said.

An Iranian had also been sentenced to death by a lower court but the appeals court did not look into his case on Thursday as he is on the run and must be present for the verdict to be announced.

The case of two Kuwaiti fugitives given jail terms by the lower court was also set aside until they appear in court, in line with Kuwaiti law.