THE JAMAAT al-MUSLIMEEN : CARIBBEAN TERRORIST'S AND MY MEETING WITH A TRINIDADIAN JIHADI.

This is a true “vivid narration”, of how I met a real live “jihadi” from Trinidad, which led to me studying up on the “Jamaat al-Muslimeen” from Trinidad led by Imam Yasin Abu Bakr.

I first encountered him at the Africa Embassy in Down Street, a produce mini-store that also served as a “reasoning point”, for certain radicals, Rastafari and intellectuals as well as Black Nationalist locally, regionally and internationally. He called himself “Black" he was a tall willowy Trinidadian of Indian and African ancestry. His skin was copper toned with hint’s of gold, his long flowing dreadlock’s were reddish, and golden hued well built and muscular but not the body building musculature, he was fit in an outdoors way, the fitness of a man totally dedicated to outdoor living. His eyes were a greenish brown depending if the sun light shone directly in his face. Black was former Trinidad military and proved this with, a flourish when he produced for our perusal documents proving he was former military personnel of the Trinidad government. A weapon’s expert he openly walked the streets of down town Philipsburg with a huge “Rambo” hunting knife fully visible at his waist.   Upon being stopped by the Police, he produced documentation that proved he was authorized to carry the weapon. The man struck fear in the heart’s of most people to say the least. Through Lion I met him and a man called Boukman from Guyana both of them said they were Sunni Muslim’s and were connected to the Jamaat al-Muslimeen in Trinidad and Tobago , another man named George Bess, a former US Army soldier whose real name may or may not have been George Bess, was also involved in the attempted assassination of Khalid Abdul Muhammed of the Nation of Islam. These three men were actively recruiting on Sint Marten in the early 1990’s for would be jihadi’s to fight in the Caribbean and overseas. The following is an introduction to a well kept secret in the Caribbean of our own homegrown terrorist’s.

Imam Yasin Abu Bakr, the militant Sunni Islamist leader of the Jamaat al Muslimeen. Bakr a former police officer converted to Islam while he was a student in Canada. In 1990 Bakr and his men staged a coup d'état against the government of Trinidad and Tobago. The television station and the parliament were occupied during the raid and Prime Minister Robinson and several members of his cabinet were held hostage by gun wielding Muslimeen. The Jamaat managed to wrangle a court upheld amnesty agreement, subsequent to the restoration of power to the elected government. The group also wields quite a bit of politcal influence as was evident in the 1995 elections in Trinidad that saw the Jamaat aligned with the UNC party and later with the PNM party up till 2010. Presently the Jamaat al Muslimeen group leader is being sought by the courts in Trinidad for questioning pertinent to the coup in 1990; Abu Bakr has maintained that; “If the government wants me to testify they have to pay me for my time”. Somewhat of a celebrity in Trinidad and even in the wider Caribbean Bakr is publicly challenging the government apparatus with success. There is evidence that the group is responsible for a number of serious crimes that include, murder in drug related and gang related killings, rape and the kidnapping of wealthy people for ransom. In March 2007 three Jamaat members admitted their complicity in the kidnapping, rape and murder, of busines woman Vindra Coolman. They are under investigation by the Trinidad National Security Agency and the American CIA, for suspected terrorist links to Middle Eastern terrorist groups. In a Council on Hemispheric Affairs (COHA) report it was stated that; “Gangs are the new law in urban Trinidad”. COHA stated in the report that; “Gang activity in the Caribbean has largely been ignored, despite the fact that gangs in Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago have become so ubiquitous that they represent a challenge to state sovereignty”. The report went further to state that gangs in some cases control the republics “crucial infrastructures”, “gangs have now become societal institutiuons that go beyond social purposes and are coming to resemble governments in and of themselves”. The COHA report went even further stating that the gangs of Trinidad and Tobago have infiltrated the official government, and are a government unto themselves, one of strict order, lacking any sense of ethics or ability to adress welfare. The COHA report neglected to make the link between the Jamaat al Muslimeen and some of the “gang” elements, the Jamaat is heavily represented in urban centres where violence is the norm. Many gang leaders are self proclaimed “community leaders”, many with ties to the Jamaat and other such organizations.  The Commission of Enquiry established by the government of Trinidad and Tobago, as an instrument of establishing factually, the motivations and goals of the perpetrators of the coup. According to the report of March 2014:  On Friday, 27 July 1990, armed members of the Jamaat-al-Muslimeen; (the JAM) staged an insurrection in Port of Spain. The insurrectionists were Muslim fundamentalists who claimed to follow the Quran literally. The group launched a three pronged attack led by Abu Bakr, Bilaal Abdullah and Jamaal Shabazz.  One group blew up the Headquarters of the Police Service on St. Vincent Street, murdering in the process a young Police Officer, Solomon McLeod.  Another group, led by Mr. Bilaal Abdullah, invaded the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago while it was in session. The terrorists held most of the parliamentarian’s hostage who were present.   The  group of armed men, led by the leader of the JAM, Imam Yasin Abu Bakr (Abu Bakr) invaded Trinidad and Tobago Television (TTT), held the staff hostage and assumed control of broadcasts. The third group led by Jamaal Shabazz stormed radio Trinidad and held its staff hostage. 27 July to 1 August 1990, the JAM held hostage the Parliamentarians and the staff at TTT.  In the Parliamentary Chamber at “the Red House”, the Prime Minister, Hon. A.N.R. Robinson, six members of the Cabinet of Trinidad and Tobago and ten other Members of Parliament (MPs) were held hostage. The Prime Minister and the Minister of National Security, Hon. Selwyn Richardson, were shot in their legs after being badly beaten; several other MP’s were bound and beaten. When questioned by the Commision about his views on the possible goals of the Jihadist’s, Robinson said: His view was the JAM were anxious to remove his Government and obtain power – “because of the programmes that the NAR Government was pursuing and which, if successful, would have led to a lengthy stay of that Government in power.”

MP Leo des Vignes who was shot subsequently died of his wounds. Two employees of Radio Trinidad, Mr. Pius Mason and Mr. Emmett Hennessy, were shot and required hospitalization.  Mr. Mason’s injuries were life- threatening whereas Mr. Emmett Hennessy was discharged from the General Hospital on 28 July. The entire police force was effectively destabilized and police personnel were severely demolarized, that they put up little to no resistance during the attack on police headquarters in the capital Port of Spain.  From early on the evening of July 27^th throughout the night mobs looted parts of Port of Spain and its environs. They set fire to buildings in downtown Port of Spain; there was wanton looting and a general feeling of unrest. The report cited the exact date that saw the ending of the siege as August the first 1990. A hundred and thirteen members of the JAM surrendered to the TNT military and security forces, discussions for an amnesty were already agreed upon from July 27^th. The actual amnesty itself was predicated upon the condition that the JAM were to release all hostages the JAM did release all hostages, but the amnesty agreement itself was brokered using the threat of death to prominent MP’s and at times the then Prime Minister A.R. Robinson. The Commission of enquiry reported that as pertains to the matter of Imam Abu Bakr’s refusal to testify before the commission the following: “But it is a matter of much regret that neither Mr (Bilaal) nor Imam Abu Bakr gave evidence to this Commission of Enquiry.  We were given to understand that Bilaal now resides in the People’s Republic of China. Despite the efforts of Instructing Attorney-at-Law to the Commission, no contact was made with Bilaal. As has been stated previously Abu Bakr is a former policeman as such he maintained contact with certain elements within the TNT police force. Bakr knew that most of the police personnel would be attending a football match at the stadium. The causes that led to the evnts as described above were manifold and they still exist today not only in Trinidad and Tobago but also in all the islands of the Caribbean. They will be listed as follows: Foreclosures, bankrupt businesses, redundancies and unemployment. The poor and marginalised were living under duress. Health services were unable to cope as a result of the inability of the TNT government to fund them, as a result of the poor quality of Social Welfare Services homelessness increased.  The popularity of the JAM amongst poverty stricken and disenfranchised young men was as a result of their ability, to offer, food, shelter, clothing, education and income, when the Social Welfare Services of the government failed to do so. The Commission reported that, “Young men were excited by the religion, its practices, doctrine and rituals, they looked forward to participating. Many spoke of going to the JAM for help and receiving that help then resultantly staying”. As we have discovered then seeing that the root causes of the rise of terrorism in Trinidad are a regional malaise.  The OECS, Caricom and all other regional stakeholders would do well to clamor for change particularly where the young men of the Caribbean are concerned.  The  increasing gang involvement and the mimickry of their North American cousins.  The adaptation of the violent sub culture of Gangsta rap, should serve as a warning to all concerned that it is exactly out of that pool of lumpens that terror organizations would seek to recruit future Jihadist’s.   Anyone doubting the possibility of such, aught only to look at Europe and America.  The majority of Americans and Europeans going to Syria, Iraq and other trouble spots in the Middle East are largely poor and disenfranchised young men and increasingly even young women. Their motivation in some instances is adventurism, not any true identification with the “Islamic” ideology of those groups. In the Caribbean context and particularly Trinidad after 1990 the Commission said the following: Former Senior Magistrate George Hislop testified about his experiences and observations after the attempted coup.  He said 1990 sent crime into a different dimension.  “I am sure about it.  There were more firearm and drug crimes after 1990.  Criminals seemed more conscious of their rights they would cite their human and constitutional rights in court.  They became more emboldened.”  “The crime wave began under the PNM.  Abu Bakr invited ‘community leaders’ to meet with Prime Minister Manning.  In truth and in fact, these ‘community leaders’ were really gang leaders.” Several “poverty alleviation programs’, were established by the TNT government after 1990 upon till recent times, all of the programs in question were and still are controlled by gang members who are ran by the JAM. Mister John Humphrey one of many persons called on to testify before the Commision of Enquiry had the following to say: “Prior to Mr. Manning dispensing largesse, there were 30,000 Afro-Trinidadians who refused to register to vote.  Manning was able to buy that constituency.  The programmes were the Unemployment Relief Programme (URP) doing special works and CEPEP.  Leaders of the groups did not share the money equitably and used it for personal reasons.  That caused problems within the group there was no accountability for the money, its management or its use.” One Mr Eversley reported that He stated that increases in murder, kidnapping for ransom, firearm crimes, drugs and gang warfare are all attributable to 1990 and the subsequent freeing of the JAM. He testified that “When the JAM were freed by the courts, it was like Carnival.  A large number of people celebrated.  Some of them became big in this country, even holding positions in the Government……After 1990 a gun culture developed in Trinidad and Tobago. One hugely significant point that was raised in the report states that “It is very big business.  We have very high consumption of marijuana in Trinidad.  A lot of it is running uninhibited out of St. Vincent in particular.”  The Sint Vincent trade rivals that out of Jamaica and in many parts of the region it supercedes the trade out of Jamaica. He also explained to the commission how guns enter Trinidad and Tobago. “There is a place called Tucupita and Pedernales in Venezuela, that is, Delta Amacuro State.  Most of our gang leaders don’t speak Spanish so they have to have a translator in Venezuela to negotiate for them.  We were finding out from these guys, who were buying the guns, where they were going and so on.These people are able to access from AK47s to AR15s.  Whatever type of gun they want, they could be accessed out of Venezuela.  That is one of the problems.  Unless we can stem the flow of guns out of Venezuela to the rest of the Caribbean, it will be very difficult to slow down the spate of murders.” In Trinidad there are two routes that weapons come through.  “One is the guns from Venezuela; the other is through appliances out of the U.S.A.”  “As a result of certain political changes in Venezuela, the Government had some problems with its military and they decided to form a civilian militia as in Cuba.  They armed the militia.  A lot of guns got lost and they ended up being sold.  So you find that some of the guns we have picked up are weapons that belonged to the Venezuelan army and other units. Another concern was that the Venezuelan Government had purchased over 100,000 Russian weapons and were moving to put their SLRs in storage and they tend to disappear once they go into storage.  So you find that there is an increase in weapons coming into Caribbean countries as a consequence of that situation evolving in Venezuela…..All of that is linked to the post 1990 era when the JAM itself got involved in a lot of illegal activities, including gangs. One of the things they got involved in was kidnapping and extortion.  This came about as a result of the death of Dole Chadee and his gang.” The witness continued – “Chadee had laundered large amounts of money in various parts of the country.  The people with whom he had laundered the money, refused to give it to his family so they hired the JAM to get back the money.  And they built skill sets of kidnapping and then they shifted into their own business of doing kidnapping around the country.  They established fiefdoms in various parts of the country such as Laventille and Enterprise.  They established their gangs and had weapons and there were fights between the Muslim gangs and other gangs.  A lot of them were killed.  Some of the bigger names in the JAM did not go and do these things.  It was the underlings who were involved in those issues.  One well-known member of the JAM attended the Mosque in Monroe Road.  Another one was charged not only for kidnapping but also for murder.” The witness acknowledged that some criminals escaped conviction because witnesses were eliminated but, based on information, Intelligence and prosecutions, the witness was absolutely sure that members of the JAM were involved in kidnappings and murder post-1990.  This witness was in no doubt that there is a link between the events of 1990 and contemporary criminality in Trinidad and Tobago. “Today’s criminals are

prepared to kill anybody.  The witness also agreed that deportation of criminals from the USA “brought another level of competence and sophistication to the whole criminal scenario”.  When asked what were the greatest challenges to national security today, the witness said unhesitatingly “the proliferation of drugs and weapons in our country.  And there is the issue of fundamentalists because at this point in time, there is more than just the JAM operating”. “In many instances there would have been persons that were gravitating towards criminality who ended up in the JAM.The criminal element gravitated towards them.”  “Ultimately, there was a criminal base within the JAM and and these criminals became ‘untouchables’ within their communities and a criminal subculture developed in Laventille.  Mr. Smith was of the view that the JAM did something positive in attempting to clean up the blocks of cocaine.  They did that “by force” when they identified the pushers in Laventille and elsewhere those pushers who did not comply were beaten. ”.  “Mr. Smith told the Commission that “Laventille has no cocaine baron.  Laventille took care of its own problems since about 1997.  It was because of that cleansing that was perpetrated by the JAM.  They may have had a positive influence and effect in terms of ridding us of the cocaine barons.  The real kingpins have been destroyed but Laventille, unfortunately, still has a stigma.” “There was the creation of these multiple gangs involving persons who moved away from the Muslimeen philosophy in order to profit themselves.The individuals who were chosen by the JAM to wage these anti-drug campaigns became kingpins in their neighbourhoods.” According to Mr. Smith, the JAM “were able to manipulate young men, culminating in the events of 1990”. “The young people who were recruited by the JAM, ostensibly to do similar work to us, but nestled in a religious ideology, were a ready-made cadre of young men, able, willing and obedient to do the exploits of the JAM, that is to say, overthrow the Government.”  Mr. Jamaal Shabazz said when questioned by the commission that: One Mervyn Guiseppi testified that the JAM: “From 1982 the JAM had intended to Islamise Trinidad “Abu Bakr and his people said that they intended to transform Trinidad and Tobago into an Islamic State.” Reginald Dumas summed up their intentions similiarly as a witness before the Commission of Enquiry: “They wanted to get political power by way of political change down the road they intended to establish an Islamic state”. In an address to 550 Muslims upon his return from Libya Bakr said the NAR government had done nothing in the three years that they had been in power and that: “Allah had decreed that Muslims had to change the system. There is no other time to change but now”.  The following are excerpted from oral testimony given by Col. Ralph Brown: “the arms and ammunition used were financed through Saudi Arabia and the money to pay for them was finaced through a bank in Florida. Bilal at the time was employed with a secondary school as a physics professor, he handled what even by todays standards are large amounts of cash on behalf of the JAM. The source of the funds funneled to the JAM was primarily Saudi Arabia and the actual donors were said to be “rich Muslim businessmen”.  A number of the JAM “inner executive”, had university degrees some were quite fluent in Arabic, the JAM are not a group of uneducated thugs as many in the media would have people believe. The JAM at present runs according to the available data some of the best schools on Trinidad and Tobagao with many of their students considerably outperforming, students in other schools. The very fact that the JAM’ students are amongst the best in Trinidad is testament to the extremely high level of education of some people in the JAM. The image that, is being portrayed by the media of the JAM is one of thugs and fanatics, while many are recruited from the criminal element.  The JAM was and still is attracting people, from a cross section of society in Trinidad.  Falsely reporting about the JAM and down playing their strengths , serves only to give them an advantage in their efforts in Trinidad. Their regional impact will be felt when others begin to copy what they have already achieved, in terms of financial assets, weapons amassment, political power and  religious influence in effect a governing body with an Islamic ideology dedicated to the advancement of its own society even if  it is detrimental to the larger society.

The report of enquiry was brought forth during her tenure, but indeed it was already on the books for many years prior, to her becoming Prime Minister. Under her government, the Unemployment Relief Program, was hijacked by the JAM, just as with other Prime Ministers in TNT.

 Smith also went on to testify that there is a hierarchical system imposed by the Muslimeen in Laventille and that system, is directly connected to the gangs.  Smith went on to relate how garrison communities centered around the trafficking in cocaine in Nelson and Duncan Street were created,  he claimed that, these communities are also connected to the JAM. Fear tactics were and, are still being employed against persons running for or in political office. In the following documented evidence will be given showing the link between gangsters and the Special Works Program, which morphed into the Unemployment Relief Program and a host of other names since. In the latest Jamaat news 2014, Curtis Gibson, bodyguard of minister of Sport and Health, Ruth Marchan, was shot dead at his Malabar home, allegedly by the Jamaat. Anil Roberts the one directly responsible for the administration of the program, was forced to resign. All of the social programs or most of them connected to rehabilitation of criminals into society in areas that are Jamaat strongholds, are headed by members of the Jamaat or their affiliates. The preceding is an example of criminals and terrorists infiltrating government programs and running the programs for their personal benefit. To substantiate my claims I will give concrete examples. This evidence is sworn testimony presented in 2014, before the Commission of Enquiry, into the coup of 1990. A person who was named, as a key figure, who infiltrated the Unemployment Relief Program, is Mark Guerra.  Guerra was a member of the JAM.  In 1989 he had allegedly shot at the car, carrying the then President’s wife.  After this incident, he went to the USA and became involved in illegal drugs and gangs in Brooklyn.  In 1993 he returned to Trinidad.  He was described as, a “Lieutenant of the Jamaat”. In 1997, according to Mr. Heeralal, “Mark Guerra walked into a URP office, introduced himself as the man who had shot at the car carrying President Hassanali’s wife in 1989 and announced that he wanted ‘two gangs’.Two gangs of 50 ‘ghost’ workers were reportedly promptly surrendered to Guerra.  Five years later, this ‘lieutenant’ of the Jamaat Al Muslimeen was powerful enough to survive the changing of the political guards when the PNM replaced the UNC in office.” Through the aegis of the URP, Guerra controlled gangs and challenged another criminal, Sean “Bull” Francis, who held high rank in the Port of Spain region of the URP.  In the result, Francis was moved to the Mt. Hope region and Guerra took control of the Port of Spain region in 1998.  By 1999, Guerra was said to be earning approximately $50,000 every fortnight from ‘ghost gang’ money.  A ‘ghost’ worker is one who does no work but receives pay. He did not live long after.  He was murdered in March 2003 and Imam Abu Bakr preached a sermon at his funeral.  At the time of his death, according to Mr. Heeralal, Guerra owned a multi-storeyed house in John John, a seven series BMW, and an SUV.  It is believed that his wealth was acquired through his access to URP funds and his operation of ‘ghost’ gangs. Some of the ‘community leaders’ who had met with Mr. Manning also met violent deaths.  Francis was murdered in 2007 at a time when he held a lucrative sub-contract on a heath facility being constructed in Port of Spain. Herbert John was shot in 2008 while working at a site on which he also had a sub-contract.  Another, Anthony “Thirteen” Des Vignes was shot in 2008. ‘Abdul Malik’ Charles was murdered in 2006 while employed as a URP worker and said to be worth $10 million. In February of 2008 Carmona J testified in open court that: “Some person in authority had stated that there were no criminals in the URP.  I dare say, in fact, that particular statement by the person in authority was a highly delusional statement and totally irresponsible because, not only I, but my other brothers have made the observation time and time again of a lot of criminal activity taking place in the bowels of the URP and that is the stark reality.  Based on matters coming before the courts in the last 18 months, I can tell you that in the bowels of the URP there is rank criminality and the authorities need to address this.”  In the Senate, during a sitting in November 2008, Senator Dana Seetahal observed. “Something is seriously wrong in the URP. I have stood up here before and asked that it be closed down because, in my view, it breeds criminals.  I have spoken to people employed in the URP and even those people say that it should be closed down.  One such person tells me that he earns a certain amount, he does not work, he signs on and he gives one-quarter of his income to the person who authorises the payment.  And that is going on all the time. If a man like Mark Guerra. A well-known criminal, could have been in charge of a division of the URP and own vehicles and property and so on, then what is happening with these projects and why are they being allowed to continue without accountability.” The Senator named above Dana Seetahal was executed in 2014, by a gunman as she sat in her vehicle after leaving a Casino. She was killed execution style with two bullets to her head and several about her body. Any one will be hard pressed not to link the slaying of Seetahal to elements within the government sponsopred programs that she so vehemently opposed. Ultimately her killers if found will more than likely be either affiliates of the Jamaat or allied with elements directly controlled by the Jamaat. The Commission also noted specifically that: “Criminal gangs have entered the illegal economy of drug importation and distribution.  Garrison communities have been formed centered around cocaine trafficking and law enforcement authorities are aware that certain gangsters and cocaine dealers have connections with the JAM”. The JAM wields an inordinate amount of political, economic, social and religious influence in Trinidad and Tobago and that influence translates to power as they have demonstrated time and time again. Members of the Jamaat have admitted to receiving training in Libya during Khadaffi’s tenure; the hierarchy of the Jamaat are well travelled in the Middle East with some in the top echelon, having studied abroad.  Particularly-  Mr Bilal Abdullah, whose profile shatters the stereotypical terrorist. Bilal described himself as a “a computer systems consultant specialising in management systems, running the networks and management-type applications, insurance and a few other things”. He said he had been working with computers since 1978 having graduated from the University of the Westindies (UWI) in 1977. In 1990, he was aged 34 with two wives and fourteen children.  He resided at #1 Mucurapo Road since 1983.  Bilal even spoke of his friendship with Louis Haneef: Between October 1989 and April 1990, he spent approximately US$96,000 purchasing computer equipment and US$20,000 “on my upkeep”. He said that he knew that Haneef “purchased a whole bunch of guns”, but he did not receive the money from him (Bilaal). He testified that him and Haneef shared similar interest’s namely, guns, computers and Islamic law; Louis Haneef is another university educated JAM member.  Bilaal and Haneef amongst others were described by a JAM member as being possessed of “a strong intellectual base”. The fact that many of the upper echelon in the JAM, are highly disciplined, well educated, well travelled, multilingual people should serve as an eye opener and a cause for concern for many regional governments. The Jamaat and other regional organizations like them with help from Muslim extremist groups from outside the region can wreak havoc in the Caribbean, and they will eventually, if a regionally directed strategy is not developed , strengthened by EU, and OECS cooperation.

The sums of money cited above given the exchange rate of the TT dollar to the US dollar in the 1990’s and even today, $96000 US dollars was a huge sum of money even by current exchange rate standards. Imam Abu Bakr testified in a US court that the sum of 614,000 US dollars was donated to his organization by the World Islamic Call Society.

The Jamaat al Muslimeen is a sophisticated and knowledgeable group that bears watching for now and well into the forseseeable future. The over all scenario at present in the region pertaining to terrorism, is beyond the capacity or know how of the governments regionally to contain.  The daily Herald reported on Monday, September1, 2014:  Aruban ISIS-terrorist held in Belgium.  Such a headline is damning evidence of just how eminent the radical Islamist threat is to the region. Presently there are over 50 Jihaditsts  from Trinidad, in Iraq and Syria, fighting under the banner of IS (Islamic State). A report in The Daily Herald, Thursday,October 16^th 2014 sated the following: The Trinidad and Tobago government has confirmed that “several nationals”, are fighting alongside supporters of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. National Security Minister Gary Griffith, speaking on a radio programme in Trinidad said: “two nationals have been positively identified as fighters with IS, with the mother of one of the men confirming that her son was an active combatant with IS. Joan Crawford told the Trinidad Express newspaper that her son Shane (29) had gone to Syria to fight on IS’ behalf: “He’s fighting , he does not believe in raping women and killing children . It is those crimes which were being committed in Syria which prompted him to go and fight. His life is better . he has purpose. He has family and he is not coming back here”. Trinidad and Tobago co-sponsored a UN resolution outlawing terrorism in September of 2014.  An even more telling report appeared in the Trinindad newspaper, the Sunday Express in October of 2014, wherein the Express claimed to be “piecing together how why,where and when ISIS began recruiting Trinidadians”. IS does not need to have a physical presence in Trinidad nor is there any need of a “point man”, IS has an exstensive Internet presence on all social media platforms, where massive pro-IS propaganda can be viewed, downloaded and listened to by the general public, people already so inclined will respond to the propaganda, either by joining IS in their wars in Syria and Iraq, or encouraging others to do so. The Sunday Express stated that: In 2009, Imam Nazim Mohammed came under the radar of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Mohammed , is the Imam of the Boos Village, Rio Claro masjid. Mohammed said, he was interviewed by the FBI, prior to the Fifth Summit of the Americas, hosted in Port of Spain Trinidad in April 2009:  “They came here (FBI agents), right here in this masjid. They said their President Barck Obama, was coming here and wanted to determine if I was a threat-very sophisticated men-spoke Arabaic”, he said. In 2014,  Trinidad National Security believes Mohammed could be a possible local recruiter on behalf of terror group ISIS. Mohammed said: “Iam hearing that Iam a recruiter. But Iam not sending anyone there. Perhaps they think Iam a recruiter because Iam outspoken, you see, but Iam not recruiting anyone”.  The Express revealed that in 1990 Mohammed was a member of the Jamaat al-Muslimeen . A “former”, member of the Jamaat al Musilimeen, now an Imam, for most if not all of the young men in his Mosque he is a heroic figure an icon, a veritable hero, one of the men who captured the government of Trinidad and Tobago and held it captive for six days, who are still walking around unimpeded in the society. Such a figure does not need to recruit anyone his mere existence is insentive enough.

   

          

The Jihadi’s from places like Guyana, Suriname Jamaica et al , that are never mentioned in the media  are a regional threat, on an unprecendented scale.        

There exists at present a growing and radical fringe in the region, and those not resident in the region but hailing from the region, and are residing in specifically Holland, Canada, and the UK pose an eminent threat upon their return to the region. They have demonstrated  an ability to influence mainly “lumpens” and other disaffected persons to their cause.