Kuwait, Dec. 27 (Reuters): A Kuwaiti court today sentenced to death six suspected militants linked to al Qaida for bloody attacks in the country.

The six were among 37 Islamists on trial as members of the Peninsula Lions group believed to be linked to Osama bin Laden’s al Qaida in Iraq and Saudi Arabia.

They include 25 Kuwaitis, seven stateless Arabs, two Jordanians, a Saudi, an Australian and a Somali.

A Reuters reporter who was at the court said none of the defendants were present when the verdict was announced.

Other suspects received jail terms of between four months to 15 years, and one received a life term.

Seven were acquitted, including Islamist cleric Sheikh Hamed al-Ali, lawyer Osama al-Munawer who represents Islamists and the wife of Amer al-Enezi ? one of al Qaida’s top leaders in Kuwait who died in custody in February.

“I thank God. I’ve believed in my innocence all along,” Munawer said. “The death sentence was very tough as it was never proven that they took up arms to fight against anyone. I hope they will get a fair trial on appeal.”

The suspects were charged with belonging to an “extremist” group, calling for attacks on state facilities, and trying to kill Kuwaiti security forces and members of “friendly forces” in the country.

Used as the main launch pad for the 2003 war in Iraq, Kuwait hosts up to 30,000 US troops and some 13,000 US citizens live in Kuwait.

Prosecutors had demanded the death penalty for about 20 suspects for four shootouts in January.

Police have said some of the suspects had confessed to planning suicide attacks against US military and Western targets in Kuwait, but several militants have denied the charges saying confessions were extracted under duress.

Kuwait has cracked down on Islamists opposing the US military presence there. Diplomats say radical Islam is taking hold among Kuwaiti youth.