Local Muslim leaders want a meeting with the Ministers of National Security and Foreign Affairs to discuss recent Government statements about security and monitoring systems, following revelations that 105 T&T nationals have gone to Syria over 2013-2015 to link with the Isis terrorist network.
Attorney Nafeesa Mohammed yesterday confirmed Muslim leaders’ desire for a meeting. A 2013/2015 security sector report obtained by the T&T Guardian showed that 105 men, women and children—including 40 children—went to Syria to join Isis.
National Security Minister Edmund Dillon told the T&T Guardian of “red flagging” not just T&T fighters who went to Syria, but those the authorities believe could have enabled them—their indoctrination and their passage—including relatives.
Mohammed expressed concern all of these revelations have come on the eve of today’s hearing in Venezuela involving five T&T nationals who have been detained there since March 2014 on alleged terrorism charges, and whose release some local Muslim groups have tried to secure.
The men—Dominic Jamal Petilal, Asim Luqman, Wade Charles, Andre Battersby and Lesley Daisely —had reportedly gone to Venezuela in 2014 to seek visas to go on a pilgrimage. They appeared in a Venezuelan court recently.
Muslim concern
There are about 50 Muslim groups in T&T, Mohammed said. A number of them have met to discuss Isis migration and statements on it by Dillon and the Attorney General Faris al Rawi.
The issue of statelessness is a sore topic. When a former fighter returns to T&T, they are a security threat, and cant be readily re-integrated into local society. On the other hand, they are citizens, with family ties. The AG had told the T&T Guardian that the issue of “statelessness” caused by “red flagging” must be addressed, but was vague on how the authorities would handle the issue.
Another sore point is placing surveillance on Muslims undertaking the hajj—the pilgraimage to Mecca —some of whom may be wholly innocent and harbour no jihadist sympathies.
Mohammed said: “There are safety and security issues to be addressed, plus matters that relate to the spiritual exercises of the community including the pilgrimages.
“The whole Muslim community is being impacted by these reports and I know there is willingness to work with law enforcement/security agencies to help in any way possible.”
“These pilgrimages are very sacred and spiritual aspects. There’s need for dialogue to clarify the situation, discuss collaboration and dialoging on this, plus information-sharing as the need arises,” she added.
Families split
In the case of Rio Claro masjid imam Nazim Mohammed, whose daughter, son-in-law and three grandchildren went to Syria to join Isis, Mohammed said:
“We in the Muslim community also need talks within on why our community is so fragmented. Due to the extreme ideological positions adopted, there are divisions within the community.”
She added: “We don’t need this overheating of the society, causing paranoia and ‘Islamphobia’ at a time when we need healing to deal with economic and social issues dividing T&T.”