Kuwait's ruler orders 'stricter' security

Kuwaits ruler ordered authorities Thursday to tighten security measures in the Gulf nation and conduct possible arrests after parliament was stormed by an anti-government mob angered by high-level corruption allegations.The steps by the emir, Sheik Sabah Al Ahmed Al Sabah, underscore the deepening political tensions in the longtime Western ally, which could host thousands more American forces under a Pentagon-drafted plan to boost troop strength in the Gulf after the U.S. withdraws from Iraq.The rifts in oil-rich Kuwait began years before the Arab Spring protests, but opposition factions could be further emboldened by the push for reforms around the region. Critics of Kuwaits ruling family claim it turns a blind eye to allegations of widespread corruption and uses security forces to crush dissenting voices.Dozens of protesters surged over police barricades Wednesday and briefly entered the parliament chamber amid attempts by opposition lawmakers to bring the prime minister for questioning over claims that government officials transferred state funds to accounts outside the country. Kuwaits key affairs are run by the ruling family, but it has one of the regions most politically active parliaments.Government spokesman Ali Fahad al-Rashid, speaking after an emergency government meeting, quoted the emir as denouncing the parliament protest as threatening the countrys security and stability and calling for stricter measures to confront this chaotic behavior.Al-Rashid said the Interior Ministry and other security forces were ordered to take all necessary measures to combat any actions that might beset the countrys security. The steps could include legal action against the protesters who entered parliament and possible crackdowns on opposition media for any instigation, according to the official Kuwait News Agency.