Calls are being made for the Government to liaise with all Muslim organisations to stop the recruitment of terrorist fighters by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
This follows the posting of an 11-minute, 20-second video, titled Those who Believe and Made the Hijra, which featured Trinidadian parents and their young children training to become ISIS fighters. In the video posted by the Ar-Raqqah Province of the Islamic State (IS), the fighters said they left T&T to fight for Islam as practising their faith in T&T was “limited.”
One of them was positively identified as former Richplain Road, Diego Martin, resident Chris Lewis by his friends and family yesterday. Family members said Lewis left Trinidad over a year ago with his children, saying he was going to live and work in England.
They were stunned, therefore, when they saw him appearing in the ISIS video and were said to be still struggling to come to terms with his decision to join the terrorist group yesterday.
But in an interview yesterday, founder and chairman of the Caribbean Hajj, Zabar Mohammed Baksh, said the video was not an accurate representation of Islam in T&T. “They have to be mad. We are the best place in the world to practise Islam,” Baksh said, adding he hoped the terrorist fighters never returned to T&T.
He added: “I have travelled all over the world and we are not restrictive when it comes to the practice of Islam. I was a founding member of the IRO and that is a blessing in this country. “Islam is one of the most tolerant religions of the world. We always fear Allah. Every life on this earth must be protected and cherished.”
Asked why locals were being enticed to go to fight for ISIS, Baksh said: “Ask them that. I don’t know what prompts them.” He added that the Government must deal with the situation by holding talks with Muslim groups.
Meanwhile, president of the Trinidad Muslim League, Dr Nasser Mustapha, said he did not recognise any of the fighters. He said it was not true that Islam was being restricted in T&T. “Over the years we have enjoyed religious freedom and freedom to worship. We have established schools and we teach children from other religions. We have more rights and freedoms than many of the Muslim countries where people cannot speak out,” he said.
He also said when he first heard people were going to ISIS he was skeptical. Now that he had seen proof of the fighters in the Middle East, Mustapha said it was time for Government to intervene. He said children must be taught not to accept ISIS ideology.
“The Government needs to address this issue at the level of the school and the media,” he added. Mustapha also said it was possible people with limited education and weak family ties was being encouraged by ISIS. “These people with weak spiritual development can be easily influenced. I think Muslims who have knowledge of the religion, strong family ties and a stable position in society will not be enticed by ISIS,” Mustapha said.
TML’s secretary Azid Ali had a message for his Muslim family. “My message to Muslim community is think hard about what you are doing. Search your conscience and do research and reading.
“Seek understanding about what is your role is as a Muslim and how you can preserve your faith,” Ali said. He added that if your mission was contrary to what Allah wanted, then Muslims must understand their duty to humanity.
MORE ON VIDEO
In the video, a man, identified as Abu Zayd al-Muhajir, described the practice of Islam in T&T as limited.
“The only practice that you can practise is what they tell you is halal (permissible) to practise. The other aspects of Islam are haram (forbidden) for you. “You cannot practise your deen 100 per cent. It was yearning for me that I knew I had to leave, I had to leave this land. I cannot sit and watch my children grow up in this land in which they cannot practise their Islam 100 per cent,” he said.
While he admitted there were no problems in wearing hijab or other Islamic wear in T&T, Zayd al-Muhajir said Muslims were only allowed to practise what they were told. His three young sons were featured attending school learning mathematics, English and Islam. One of the children was heard saying school in the Middle East was better than school in Trinidad.
Another Trinidadian, called Abu Abdullah, urged his “brothers” in T&T to question their conscience.
“What will we tell Allah the Great and Almighty if I don't make hijra to the land of the Muslims, if I don't make hijra to do my part and to give my little contribution towards the deen of Allah, the Great and Almighty,” he said.
The fourth fighter, Abu Mansour al-Muhajir, said the fight was against the allies of Satan.
“As we speak today, over 60 nations of this world sign on to wipe out us but Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He, is with us. I hope and pray that Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He, will guide us and protect us and bring us to this land so that we will make jihad for this cause and to gain the reward of Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He,” he said.
Another fighter, Abu Khalid, said although he lived comfortably in Trinidad he felt he did not belong. He also agreed that Muslims in Trinidad were restricted. Last year reports surfaced that locals were leaving T&T to go to Ar-Raqqah, a city in Syria on the north bank of the Euphrates River.
Former national security minister Gary Griffith estimated that at least 30 citizens were now terrorist fighters. T&T has been named as a country where fighters were being recruited by the United Nations.