Plot to blow up JFK Airport

Asja: We have nothing to fear

The Anjuman Sunnat-ul-Jamaat Association (Asja) has said the local Muslim community is not affected or worried over the JFK terror plot which managed to grab international headlines over the past week.

Implicated in the alleged plot to blow up fuel lines at the New York airport are four Muslim men—62-year-old Trinidadian Karim Ibrahiim, Guyanese Abdel Nur, former Guyanese Parliamentarian Abdul Kadir and Russel De Freitas, a naturalised American from Guyana.

Asja president Yacob Ali, in a telephone interview yesterday, said the association had received no reports of untoward action taken against those of Muslim faith since the unravelling of the report on Saturday.

He did not discount the possibility of Muslims being detained at ports of entry but said “officers must do what is necessary to protect borders.”

Ali acknowledged that some may overstep bounds and interrogate wrong people based on personal bias, but said: “I do not believe any government would arbitrarily offend any visitor.”

Ali said it was a fact that some Muslims feel targeted internationally, and the fear still existed because of the action of a few.

Asja, he said, would not be changing any of their goals or taking any reactionary measures as the fostering of unity was on a personal basis.

To avoid segmentation of any religion, Ali said compromise and tolerance were the integral factors.

Inshan Ishmael to pay Ibrahiim’s legal fees

MUSLIM activist Inshan Ishmael yesterday pledged financial support to Trinidadian terror suspect Kadir Ibrahiim who was detained in connection with an alleged plot to ignite fuel lines at the JFK International Airport in New York.

In a telephone interview yesterday, Ishmael said once a member of the Muslim faith had proclaimed innocence “we are supportive.”

He said he took accusations against Ibrahiim and the other three “with a pinch of salt” especially since they stemmed from the United States.

He referred to the implication of Muslim leader Osama Bin Laden and other Muslim groups as the “terrorists who orchestrated September 11.”

He said, “Now a CNN survey indicated 92 per cent of New York residents and a host of actors—Charlie Sheen, Rosie O’ Donell—are saying 9/11 was not perpetrated by a Muslim group and was in fact government-planned.”

He said the Caribbean group was set up and that he and other Muslims were watching the situation closely.

He further stated there were many followers who were willing to assist and even give financial support for Ibrahiim’s legal services.

Ishmael, manager of the Islamic Broadcasting Network, said the only Muslims who would not support Ibrahiim’s cause were those who wanted US visas and had financial interests in the US.

He said the world was getting lawless to the extent that governments were “setting up” innocent citizens.

“In my own country this was done to me,” he claimed.

Ishmael further stated that the media company that broke the story was “Bush’s (US President) right wing.”

He found it was odd that two months after Prime Minister Patrick Manning met with US representatives in close door meetings, the plot was revealed.

Another boggling trend, he said, was that US-labelled terrorists came from oil-rich countries.

Ishmael said he received information that four Muslims travelling out of Trinidad on Monday were denied entry to the Piarco International Airport.

He subsequently informed attorney Prakash Ramadhar who is pursuing the matter, he said.

Ishmael said he was was certain that Muslims would be targeted when travelling out of Trinidad.

“Women who wear hijabs and men with long beards are concerned...The business community is worried,” he said.

“Personally, since my incident, I have not left the country.”

IBN has been distributing thousands of DVDs of the movie Operation 9/11 and others which implicate the US Government in the tragic event.

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