About five people from the Nur-E-Islam mosque in El Socorro, San Juan, who joined the Islamic State terror network in Syria, may have gone because they believe it is a genuine Islamic struggle–or may have gone for financial aggrandisement.
This was the view of Nur-e-Islam Imam Shiraz Ali, as he responded to claims by National Security Minister Edmund Dillon that 130 nationals have joined terrorist groups overseas.
Ali added, "One of the five who went, Mikail, died last year. We haven't seen signs of any more people wanting to go. We feel people have gone past the stage of wanting to go there, or they've realised the money wasn't what they thought it would be. Also, it's harder to go now."
Islamic front leader Umar Abdullah added, "People who have joined terrorist activities overseas have done so 'to help Muslim brothers and sisters as they have nothing to hold them in T&T.'
"If you don't want your child to run away, you have to start listening to your child. If T&T isn't conducive to growth and development, people will want to leave to establish a space of their own."
He said people were also not feeling safe due to economic issues and crime. "They're making a big hullabaloo about the Isis threat, but up to now there's been no act against T&T by Isis.
"We seem to be focussing only on what's coming out of the West–especially US. But Government should be focussing on solving crime instead. The only people terrorising us are the Attorney General, National Security Minister and criminal elements."
Abdullah took issue with the Government for its handling of the recent controversial Marriage Act. He said if the Attorney General continues "pushing" on the current path, "we're going to start pushing back ... Government must start listening to community leaders, religious groups, NGOs."
Meanwhile, the Muslims of T&T group headed by Imam Imtiaz Mohammed condemned the US administration's 90-day visa ban on seven countries launched last weekend.
Mohammed said the ban will halt the resettlement of refugees from those countries and affect reuniting of families.
"The US' executive order is motivated by bigotry and false and harmful assumption that Muslims are security threats and potential terrorists," Mohammed added.