Tribesmen storm Kuwait TV station

Daoud Hussein's portrayal of Ariel Sharon caused an outcry in Israel

Hundreds of protesters occupied the offices of a Kuwaiti TV station on Thursday in protest at a show they found insulting.

Members of the al-Sliba tribe were angered by remarks made by a comedian on a popular television show.

The protestors scuffled with staff and broke windows at al-Rai's offices in Kuwait City, injuring seven people, including three policemen.

They had been insulted by comments made by comedian Daoud Hussein.

On the Gergeaan show, he described the former Iraqi leader, Saddam Hussein, as a dog of the al-Sliba tribe.

The channel later said the remark was part of a comedy and had not been intended as an insult to anyone.

Al-Rai describes it as "the most watched comedy series in the Gulf region and Arab world".

Gergeaan, which is shown every night during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, examines "social and political issues in a comical spirit", the station said.

Mr Hussein, the lead actor, is not, however, a stranger to controversy.

Two Arab television stations came under fierce criticism in 2001 after broadcasting a satirical show in which he depicted Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon as a blood-drinking terrorist.

Then Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres called the show "repulsive" after excerpts were shown on Israeli TV. Mr Peres complained to the United Nations about the programme.