Kuwait on Tuesday sentenced two defendants to death, including an Iranian being tried in absentia, after they were convicted of "spying for Iran" and plotting attacks in the Gulf country. The Iranian, Abdulreda Hayder, was on trial along with a group of Kuwaiti Shiites on charges of spying for Iran and hiding large quantities of arms and ammunition in underground depots. The court sentenced another defendant to life in prison and 19 were jailed for between five and 15 years, two of them in absentia. Three were acquitted and one was fined 5,000 dinars ($16,500). The defendants were also convicted of spying for Iran-backed Lebanese Shiite militia Hezbollah, smuggling in and assembling explosives, and possessing firearms and ammunition. Kuwaiti authorities said in August they had dismantled an Iran-linked cell and seized large quantities of arms, explosives and ammunition. The hearing Tuesday was held amid tight security, with armored vehicles with mounted machineguns stationed around the Palace of Justice in Kuwait City. Only close relatives of the defendants, lawyers and journalists were allowed to attend the hearing.
