Kuwait denies torture death claim

Enezi was seized after a fierce gunbattle

A suspected Islamic militant leader who died in a Kuwaiti jail suffered heart failure and did not die under torture, the country's interior minister said.

Sheikh Nawaf al-Sabah said there was no evidence of maltreatment and a forensic report would prove that Amer al-Enezi died from low blood pressure.

Mr Enezi, who was 29, was reported dead on Wednesday, 10 days after his arrest.

An Islamist MP who heads parliament's human rights panel has questioned Sheikh Nawaf about the death.

Walid al-Tabtabai filed a question in parliament on Wednesday asking whether the interrogators had respected a law that forbids torture.

Another member of the human rights panel has called for an independent authority to examine the prisoner's body.

'Kidnap plot'

Mr Enezi was detained following a gunfight in which four other suspected militants were killed.

He had been a mosque preacher until a few months ago when he was reportedly dismissed by Kuwait's Ministry of Islamic affairs for allegedly holding extremist views.

Their alleged cell is accused of plotting to kidnap US soldiers and other westerners, and attack US convoys heading for Iraq.

According to Kuwaiti media reports, Enezi confessed to the plot during interrogation and admitted his group had links with al-Qaeda.

Sheikh Nawaf said in Thursday's Kuwaiti press: "Those who propagate that suspect Amer Khlaif [Enezi] died under torture have no evidence and the forensic report will prove he died of low blood pressure."

At least eight alleged militants have been killed and as many as 25 Kuwaiti and Saudi suspects arrested in recent weeks.

Four police officers have died and 10 others have been wounded.