Dubai: Three Indians were among seven expatriate labourers injured when the bus in which they were travelling was shot at as it passed by a US military convoy in Kuwait.

The attack took place yesterday (Dec 15, 2003) afternoon just outside the Port of Shuaiba, used by US forces for transporting equipment, Lt Col Vic Harris, a spokesman with the US military in Kuwait, said.

"The Egyptian driver of the National Industries Company (NIC) bus - with 61 labourers on board - drove on for 150 metres after hearing the gunshots and suddenly slammed the brakes which resulted in minor injuries to... labourers," unnamed sources were quoted as saying by media reports today.

All the injured labourers, including three Indians, have been receiving medical care at Adan hospita. The Indians have been identified as Ator Morro Rock, Jenani Rasso and Halary Belshor.

A Kuwaiti national identified as Ali Nasser Al-Ajmi, 29, was held by police along with two of his accomplices for attacking the bus. Ali, according to reports, was the same man who shot at US soldiers in Kuwaiti City on Sunday (Dec 14).

There were conflicting reports that the labourers were contracted by the US military, which was later denied.

A US Embassy spokesman said Sunday's (Dec 14) shootings on the convoys appear to have been "terrorist attacks", targeting the US military force.

PTI