American civilian killed in Kuwait gun ambush

AN American civilian was killed and another man critically wounded yesterday after a gunman sprayed their vehicle with bullets during an ambush in Kuwait.

It was the first shooting of US civilians in Kuwait and the third shooting of Americans since October in the oil-rich emirate, where thousands of US troops are assembling for a possible strike on Iraq.

"We condemn this terrorist incident, which has tragically cost the life of an innocent American citizen," said US Ambassador to Kuwait, Richard Jones.