Trinidad’s Muslimeen leader is held by police for making threats to the country’s security
by Stephen Cummings
Caribbean Net News Trinidad Correspondent
Email: cummingscom@yahoo.co.uk
Wednesday, November 9, 2005
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad: Religious leader of Trinidad’s Jamaat-al-Muslimeen, Imam Yasin Abu Bakr, was on Tuesday picked up by local police.
The Imam was taken in for questioning following threats he made last Friday to the Trinidad Muslim community.
According to information now released, the Jamaat leader reportedly threatened some of his religious followers, saying if they did not pay two and a half percent of their earnings, which is a form of tax to the Jamaat al Muslimeen, there would be bloodshed.
The alleged statement was interpreted by the security forces as being a threat to national security.
The Islamic religious tax is one of the five basic requirements of Islam. According to the Qur’an, all adult Muslims of sound mind and body with a set level of income and assets are expected to pay zakat. Zakat is due yearly on certain types of property and is distributed to eight categories of individuals specified by the
Qur'an.
The threat which gave the interpretation of forced violence against other Muslims was allegedly made Friday while Imam Yasin Abu Bakr was delivering his Eid-ul-Fitr message to followers at his Mucurapo Road Mosque.
Under local law the Imam could have only been held for 48 hours. He was however released after been questioned.
Imam Bakr, was also the leader of a religious group which attempted to overthrow the then National Alliance for Reconstruction government in 1990, the government which was led by former Prime Minister, Arthur NR Robinson.
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