Former National Security Minister Gary Griffith has called on his successor Minister Edmund Dillon to protect T&T and veto moves to allow the return of nationals, now with fighting with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
Griffith wants Dillon to pass any lists of such people Dillon may receive to T&T’s international allies.
He made the call yesterday after Islamic Front founder Umar Abdullah said he would be lobbying Dillon at a meeting next Tuesday to allow the return of T&T-born foreign terrorist fighters (FTFs) and assist their reintegration.
He said following recent international developments, including the Paris attacks and other crises involving terrorist attacks, he received a call from Dillon’s secretary early last week seeking a meeting this week. Abdullah said she called back to postpone the meeting to next week Tuesday.
Dillon in the Senate last week said a discussion was taking place within Government on revisiting or changing the current situation of free, unrestricted/unhindered entry of T&T nationals (FTFs) who have joined the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)
Yesterday, Abdullah said that in hinting at that position, Government may have been throwing the issue out to the public to get feedback.
He said he intended to bring to the table with Dillon, an alternative solution as opposed to blocking FTFs. He said he would insist that Government must “understand the position of the united position of the Muslim people of T&T.”
Abdullah added: “We do have concerns that they (FTFs) may return with issues and we may have negative fall-out as a result but we are prepared to work, to change, educate them and put them through a reintegration programme.
“There’s no guarantee they are going to return with that (ISIS) ideology, or intention to change their old outlook on fighting jihad but these people are citizens of T&T and Government has a responsibility for its citizens, irregardless (sic), to get ideas and innovative strategies on how to deal with these situations.”
He called on Government not to “take on the western press and western nations.”
Abdullah said he intended to take his position on the issue to Saturday’s upcoming meeting of Muslim leaders being worked out by the Enterprise masjid on the ISIS issue and its impact on T&T.
Last weekend, the Muslim community was addressed on the Muslim IBN channel on this following a call (via IBN) for all Muslim leaders to hold an emergency meeting on the issue.
Taulib Seales of the Enterprise masjid, who confirmed the move, said it was planned that a press conference would be held after that meeting on a joint position. Seales said Muslim leaders were being asked to meet and open a dialogue.
Abdullah said at his upcoming meeting with Dillon he also planned to call for action on the five T&T nationals currently detained in Venezuela on alleged terrorist charges for the past 17 months.
Abdullah said he would also seek action on the situation involving Tariq Shamoon Mohammed, detained in Saudi Arabia since August.
However, the Abdullah/Dillon meeting came in for criticism from Griffith, who queried the view the FTFs should be given a second chance.
He said: “A second chance at what, trying to cause a plague by attempting to lure more naïve young men to become FTFs, or actually commit some terrorist act in our country based on training they received in Syria?
“Hopefully that list of 75-odd persons Mr Abdullah has submitted to Minister Dillon, should immediately be handed over to our international intelligence allies and if intelligence has confirmed these persons were FTFs, then they would and should be red-flagged, upon which being blacklisted to board any flight and hence never see T&T.
“Thankfully, both Minister Dillon and Mr Abdullah are totally incorrect if they perceive because someone is a T&T citizen, they can automatically be authorised to re-enter, regardless if they are linked to terrorist activity.”
Griffith said there was a window which could prevent them from returning. He noted T&T’s signing of the United Nations Resolution on the ISIS issue last year has mandated fulfillment of various obligations, including denying terrorists the ability to put down roots, build a base and establish safe havens, prevent easy access of travel for FTFs and prevent radicalisation for the recruiting of FTFs.
“Based on recent horrific acts of terrorism globally and revelations of dozens of T&T FTFs it’s evident certain measures must be taken to prevent such acts locally.
“Everyone deserves a second chance, however, not terrorists. The rights of those few who became terrorists and want to return could never supersede the rights of the many T&T citizens.” (See Page 6)