“Depending on which local you ask, ‘The Jamaat’ is either a jihadi group, a vast criminal organization, an invaluable community resource providing jobs and social services to Trinidad’s disadvantaged, or a combination of all three.” It probably is all three. After all, Hizballah is noted for its social services. Why shouldn’t another jihad group follow the same model?
“VICE News Extended: Trinidad’s Abu Bakr,” Vice News, May 30, 2014 (thanks to asd):
At his compound on the outskirts of Port of Spain, the man responsible for the only attempted militant Islamic overthrow of a Western government is smiling. “I’ve been charged with treason, I’ve been charged with sedition, with murder, conspiracy to murder, [stockpiling] guns….” Abu Bakr, the fiery 73-year-old leader of Jamaat al Muslimeen, rattles off the many accusations that the government of Trinidad and Tobago has leveled against him.
“Nothing has stuck, because it’s fabricated,” he continues. “They list all the charges in a book, and they just throw the book at me…. That’s not prosecution, that’s persecution!”
Bakr has mellowed a bit in his old age, but he still relishes the opportunity to serve as a thorn in the side of the government with whom he has clashed for decades. Depending on which local you ask, “The Jamaat” is either a jihadi group, a vast criminal organization, an invaluable community resource providing jobs and social services to Trinidad’s disadvantaged, or a combination of all three.
But everyone agrees that the coup that Bakr led in 1990 — which held the state hostage for six days, unleashed widespread looting and chaos, and resulted in 24 deaths and the shooting of the prime minister — changed the country forever.
john spielman says
how come he wasn’t hung for treason in attempting to overthrow the govt ?
Tanakh says
The government granted them amnesty whilst the Muslims were holding the Prime minister hostage.
Beckwith says
I was in Port of Spain, Trinidad, on business and staying at the Hilton hotel during this event.
We were restricted to the hotel and there were armed — and locked and loaded — Trinidadian army troops posted at the front and rear of the hotel.
The Muslims were attempting a coup and wanted to assassinate the Trinidadian prime Minister, a woman, as I recall. It was a serious attempt, but it was put down.
The newspaper reports of the event said that the arms and monies came from Mohmar Ghaddafi by ship from Libya.
Trini says
The attempted Islamic coup in1990 on the Caribbean oil-rich island of Trinidad has resulted in a sea change in the social fabric of the country. The then government took no action whatsoever in bringing the miscreants to justice. they have been allowed to function within and without the law with impunity and no fear of retribution. Many of the members of the Muslimeen organisation operate without fear of the State or the Police. Criminality and murder of innocent people have exploded.
Recently the brilliant female State Prosecutor of a high profile kidnap and murder case was assassinated by persons unknown. it was alleged that the murderers belonged to a ” religious organisation”. Journalists and reporters investigating her murder have been sent death threats. it is interesting to note that the woman kidnapped and then murdered was a close relative of Trinidadian eminent novelist Vidia Naipaul who had written many books on his travels to the Islamic world.
Trinidad is also being used. As a “Rabat” (bridge) into South Aamerica.. More recently a group of Muslims belonging to the Islamic Missionary Guild from Trinidad were found to have illegally entered Venezuela and were detained temporarily.The Muslim community in Trinidad protested vehemently and loudly at Venezuela.s action and demanded the TT government take steps to have the Islamic missionaries released. this the TT government meekly and compliantly. Did.