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When she is both an arsonist and your ex-wife, it would be prudent if you took extra special precautions at your wedding celebrations. Preferably in a fire-proof environment.
The sky was unexpectedly lit-up over the tribal area of al-Jahra, west of Kuwait City, when the woman’s tent at a wedding, was set alight by an ex-wife. According to custom rooted deep in Kuwait’s nomadic heritage, men and women are segregated at wedding festivities. The children tend to wander into the women’s tent where there is singing, dancing and a buffet dinner.
The tent, doused in petrol, burned to the ground in only 3 minutes, killing 43 people, including six children. “52 others were injured and remain in hospital,” said the health minister Hilal al-Sayer.
It would seem the bride survived because she had not yet joined the women and was still receiving her make-up. Her mother and sister are believed to have been killed in the fire.
Attempting to escape the fire, the screaming women and children stampeded the only exit in the tent. Rescue operations were hindered as the tent had been placed in narrow confines between two residential buildings.
At the time of the fire there were around two hundred people in the tent. Abdullah al-Zafeeri, whose mother and sister are among the injured, said “I heard the women screaming. Some children died in the arms of their mothers”.
The charred remains are unrecognizable and will require forensic assistance before for formal identification can be announced. The names of the dead have not been released.
Interior Ministry spokesman Col. Mohammed al-Saber said “We have identified the perpetrator, who confessed to committing the crime for personal reasons”. Witnesses saw the 23 year old woman pouring petrol onto the marquee.
Following her arrest the arsonist admitted her actions were for revenge. She was unhappy over the poor treatment she had received from her ex-husband prior to their divorce.
The arsonist may face the death penalty, which is still in force in Kuwait, unless her lawyers are able to convince the court of diminished responsibility through mental impairment.
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