By Richard CharanSouth Bureau

Tuesday, March 30th 2004

ASJA's Public Relations Officer Nizam Shah said yesterday that "no Muslim fanatic must be allowed to practice any terrorist-type activity that would lead to unrest in any community".

And in a letter to one mosque, ASJA President General Yacoob Ali stated that "Maulana Imran N Hosein is considered to be a strong security risk in Trinidad and Tobago."

Last night Hosein described the statements as a "smear campaign" and denied he was an extremist".

"I certainly do not condone or incite people to respond to oppression with acts of terrorism," he said.

In fact in a faxed letter to the Express, Hosein said when the September 11 attack on America occurred he was in New York and responded, days later, in a public lecture by "praying to Allah Most High to punish those responsible for that act of terrorism with the greatest possible punishment which would last until the last day. I asked all those present in the mosque to join me in that prayer and they all did. Having made that prayer, I then invited the Jews to do the same."

Hosein's supporters have asked Assistant Commissioner of Police - South Dennis Graham to clarify whether Hosein was a security risk.

Last night Graham said he knew nothing about Hosein or any security issue.

"I have sent this letter to my senior superintendent to check and report back to me," he said.

Hosein was described as a Trinidadian who was principal of the Aleemiyah Institute of Islamic Studies, Karachi, Pakistan, and was a Foreign Service Officer in the Foreign Service of Trinidad and Tobago.

He is the author of two books.

In correspondence sent on March 10 to all mosques and schools, ASJA's President General advised that Hosein be disallowed from giving sermons.

"This has come about because of grave concerns over his speeches and utterances which we consider very likely to bring our organisation in direct conflict with the present mood of the country, and indeed the Muslim world, which ASJA is at pains to project as to establish ourselves as a peace loving and abiding community."

Ali added: "We (ASJA) must not be seen as a security concern and no one on our platform must be seen or perceived to be a security risk".

Shah said that Hosein's lectures "hold a lot of spite and malice against the United States".

He added: "But we have an excellent relationship with the US. We are not an Islamic state and while there are issues in Palestine, Iran and Iraq, and we sympathise we must abide by the law of this land sooner or later, the US ambassador (Roy Austin) will implement some sanctions in the Muslim community going to the US," Shah said.

But in his statement, Hosein argued that "the United States of America is using its unprecedented power to "oppress" all those who resist its "imperial" rule over the whole world. That "imperial" rule is established for the express purpose of furthering the goals of the Jewish State of Israel.

"I have denounced that American oppression and the war on Islam that is being pursued behind a mountain of lies and deception," he said.

Further, Hosein insisted, "if my response to American oppression makes me an 'extremist' then Nelson Mandela would be an extremist for having denounced the US president for his "arrogance" and for having declared of the British Prime Minister that he was the US Foreign Minister. Even the current Spanish Prime Minister, the Polish President, the former US president Jimmy Carter and a host of others, who have denounced the US government for having waged war on the basis of lies, would also be demonised."