Investigating threat to attack US, British interests

Intelligence agents from Britain and the United States are now in Trinidad investigating two separate but seemingly related incidences.

One involves a call received by the British High Commissioner on Thursday informing him that a south-based Islamic group, led by one "Abdullah", intends to target British interests in Trinidad and Tobago around Carnival time, 2003.

The other involves another attack threat. According to Sunday Express sources, the US Embassy in Port of Spain was informed five weeks ago about an intercepted cell phone conversation in which Abdullah’s name was mentioned. Over the course of the conversation, there was talk about an Islamic group planning to strike against American business interests on December 22. The call was subsequently traced to Cell District 36 which is Cunupia.

A number of FBI agents are now in Trinidad, the most recent of whom arrived on Thursday.

Also here are agents from the British Special Air Services (SAS) also know as "The Tiptoe Boys". The Sunday Express learned that the CIA, FBI and other international agencies have also been in the country on an ongoing basis.

The stepped-up alert in Trinidad followed an earlier report about another Islamic organisation who was said to be planning to kill two US marines in Port of Spain on December 11 in retaliation against US military action in the Middle East. Than plan was apparently aborted after the information leaked out and was openly mentioned by one Muslim leader.

A key focus of the current investigation is the man identified as "Abdullah", who according to one FBI informant, has in his possession copies of plans for the American Embassy and the Twin Towers in Port of Spain.

According to an informant who was recruited ten years ago, Abdullah’s organisation (name given but withheld) has ambitions to have an Islamic government installed in Trinidad and Tobago.

The informant said the group has recruited persons through a pyramid system where cells of three to seven persons are formed. Chosen members are said to be given training in information gathering, weaponry and other military type of activities. Some have been sent abroad to establish connections and to further their training in weaponry and military activities. Training is said to be taking place in South Trinidad, Rio Claro, the Northern Range and in an area in Central Trinidad. Two or three individuals are trained at any given time.

Ten months ago, an additional and ongoing programme began in which members are trained to drive big trucks and buses.

The dossier describes Abdullah as a "very powerful, articulate and cunning individual". He is said to be about 35 years old, 5ft 10 ins, and slim-built, weighing around 150 lbs.

The intelligence agents were told that Abdullah’s organisation plans to attack US-owned businesses operating in Trinidad and Tobago.

To this end, the informant told the agents that the group brought in a shipment of arms from Germany into the country at the end of June which included pistols, Glocks, Tec-9s and AK47s which was "a gift" for a favour owed. The guns were reportedly brought into the country underwater using "a propeller type instrument and a pulley type vehicle". The guns are said to be kept at various places, locations unknown to the informant who went on to say that Abdullah is in possession of two warheads.