December 18, 2002	Wednesday	Shawwal 13, 1423

KUWAIT CITY, Dec 17: Kuwait has deported 11,000 illegal aliens who were rounded up during nationwide security sweeps over the past couple of weeks the Interior Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.

The aliens, mostly Asian men, were in Kuwait seeking work said a ministry official.

The ministry carried out the sweeps through use of roving and stationary checkpoints to rid the country of illegal residents which officials said posed a security threat. The ministry stepped up security measures throughout the emirate including along its coastal waters after recent terrorist incidents and threats.—dpa