San Fernando Jama Masjid worshippers hid in their mosque on Wednesday night when a man walked onto the masjid's compound and killed the son of a popular People's National Movement (PNM) activist.
Daniel Bostic, 35, of Drayton Street, San Fernando, had just broken his fast and was preparing for prayer when the hooded gunman followed him to the ground level of the mosque, where he was praying, to head to the upper level and shot him in the back of his head.
As he slumped to the ground, the gunman stood over him and fired four more shots at point- blank range, hitting him in the chest and head.
Asaad Baksh said yesterday that although Bostic was lying on the ground dying, worshippers continued to pray in the upper level of the mosque because they had been called to prayer.
In an interview yesterday, Bostic's mother, Marva, who was a PNM education officer under the Patrick Manning administration, said she was uncertain who would have wanted to kill her son.
Asked whether she believed the hit was politically or religiously motivated, Marva said: "I have heard that today and I dismissed it. I refuse to believe that someone will kill my son in the mosque in the month of Ramadan to set religious or political strife."
She said Bostic was a contractor who did small projects. A few months ago, Marva said he fired four workers at a Golconda jobsite. However, Bostic said she did not know whether that was related to the killing.
"I don't know why this happened. I don't know that he has any enemies. I don't want to judge. Let the police do their investigations," Marva said.
She explained that Bostic had changed his life two years ago when he gave up his Baptist faith and turned to Islam. She said his sister, Keisha, dropped him at the mosque and was going to pick him up after prayers.
"He was the protector of the family. He is not one to fear anybody," Marva said.
She said on July 18 last year police slapped Bostic with a false charge for possession of ammunition after they executed a warrant on the family's home.
Bostic was also charged for wounding with intent a few years ago but that case was thrown out, Bostic added.
Police said yesterday that they were working on several leads in connection with the shooting. Around midday, officers raided an apartment in Embaccadere and arrested two men for questioning. A source said the cameras around the mosque did not pick up the killer's face. However, a registration number for the getaway car was obtained.
An autopsy done on Bostic's body yesterday revealed that he died from gunshot wounds.
Muslim leaders call for calm
Several Muslim organisations expressed outrage at the shooting yesterday.
President of the San Fernando Jama Masjid Waheed Majid said since the shooting security had been beefed up at the mosque on Mucurapo Street.
"Allah controls everything and we take solace in the fact that no one else was injured," he said.
Majid said during the month of Ramadan the masjid was usually open and accessible to the public.
"We don't have any way of knowing who should not be there," Majid said, adding that the call to prayer was made at the same time that Bostic was killed so worshippers continued to engage in their prayer while the police continued their investigations outside.
Majid said Bostic died a martyr because of the timing and the way in which he was killed.
"We hope the family could find solace in knowing that he died during an auspicious time. It is a blessing, as he would have been given the death of a martyr," he added.
President of the Waajihatul Islaamiyyah (The Islamic Front) Imam Umar Abdullah, meanwhile, called on Muslims to be calm and not retaliate.
"As much as we are disgusted and are not going to tolerate nor accept this dastardly act perpetrated within the sanctity of our holy places, we are asking the Muslims to be calm and to take a step back and to ask yourselves the question: Where are we in all of this, what has been our role and what part are we playing in this new spate of violence within the Muslim community?" Abdullah said.
He added: "We have no one else to blame but ourselves. We hold the keys to bridge those gaps and reconnect with the society, but because of our lack of leadership and lack of vision we have once again found ourselves at the mercy of those who govern us."
He questioned whether another state of emergency was pending.
Police yesterday urged anyone with information on Bostic's killing to contact the San Fernando police.
Supt Zamsheed Mohammed, Insp Don Gajadar, Sgt Bisnath and Cpl Charles from the Homicide Bureau are investigating.