Kuwaiti royal condemned to death in landmark case

, Jan 14 (AFP) A Kuwaiti court today sentenced a member of the ruling Al-Sabah family to death for drugs trafficking, a first in the oil-rich Gulf state.

A Kuwaiti court on Sunday sentenced a member of the ruling Al-Sabah family to death for drugs trafficking, a first in the oil-rich Gulf state.

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The court, whose rulings can be challenged, also fined the royal, hose name was given as Sheikh Talal, about $35,000.

Another three people were sentenced to life in jail, including a Bidoon (stateless Arab), a Bangladeshi and an Indian. Two others, a Lebanese and an Iraqi were sentenced to seven years in jail each.

Kuwaiti police arrested the group in April last year with a large drugs haul, including at least 10 kilograms of cocaine and 120 kilogrammes of hashish.

The arrest was made on the orders of Kuwait's Interior and Defence Minister Sheikh Jaber al-Mubarak al-Sabah, who is a leading figure in the ruling family.