THE ISLAMIC COMMUNITY IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PORT OF SPAIN 000448

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR WHA/CAR AND INR/IAA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON SCUL PHUM PTER TD
SUBJECT: THE ISLAMIC COMMUNITY IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED; PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: The extradition this year to the U.S. of three
Muslims (one a citizen of T&T and the other two from Guyana) to face
trial for an alleged plot against JFK Airport has heightened
interest in the state of Islam in Trinidad and Tobago. Variously
estimated at 6-10 percent of the population, those professing the
Islamic faith are generally peaceful, productive and integrated into
the society. Nonetheless, there are fundamentalists and some
problematic ties to Middle Eastern and South Asian Islamic schools.
Though we do not anticipate any major terrorist activity emanating
from here, the existence of a relatively large Muslim population,
sprinkled with a few radicals, also means that surprises and
isolated future cases (like the JFK plot) can occur. End Summary.


A Numerical Minority
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2. (SBU) Muslims in Trinidad number between 6-10 percent of the
population (roughly 75,000-130,000 persons),enjoying full religious
freedom to practice their faith, with the government declaring days
such as Eid holidays. There are about 70 mosques in the country,
some grander than others, but generally circumspect. These are
found in all sorts of communities, including a mosque and Islamic
Academy near the Embassy and across the street from an upscale
shopping center. Following prayers, as an indication of the
generally peaceful and integrated nature of congregations, some
members of that mosque and their families can be found eating ice
cream at the local Haagen-Dazs parlor in the shopping area.

A Lengthy History
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3. (U) Islam was first introduced to T&T in the eighteenth century
with the importation of African slaves who brought with them their
religious beliefs. A second, more lasting, wave of Muslims came to
the island with the arrival of workers from India beginning in 1845,
who were brought to Trinidad once the British Empire outlawed the
slave trade. While the majority of these workers were Hindu, some
Muslims were also among them.


4. (U) The Indian Muslims brought with them a Sunni version of
their faith known as Hanafi, which is generally seen as liberal and
tolerant. Shi'ites also were represented but in much smaller
numbers. Due perhaps to little interaction with mainstream Islamic
thought during nineteenth and early twentieth century, Indian
Muslims in Trinidad generally focused on the social aspects of their
religion. They also continued the festivals and customs of their
Indian heritage, such as the annual Hosay procession. Indian Muslims
generally met with little interference from British authorities due
to their relatively small numbers and peaceful nature. One
exception was the 1884 Hosay Massacre, when nervous colonial troops
fired on a large Indian procession, killing dozens and wounding
hundreds.

Changing Times
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5. (SBU) Despite continued growth of mosques and Islamic
organizations throughout Trinidad, the homogeneity of Islamic
thought here only began to change in the 1960s and 1970s with the
arrival of missionaries from more fundamentalist sects. In
particular, two groups, the Tablighs and the Wahabists, sought to
reshape Islamic thought and practice on the island. The Tablighs,
with foundations in India, and the Wahabists, funded in large part
by Saudi Arabia, both espouse a more conservative and fundamentalist
form of Islam than was the historic norm in Trinidad.


6. (U) Tabligh missionaries began arriving in Trinidad during the
1970s from India and Pakistan, bringing conservative cultural
traditions, such as the wearing of hijab for women, which had
previously been almost non-existent here. The Whhabist
missionaries, who began appearing in the 1980's, continued this
trend. While the occasional hijab is now visible, the Islamic
mainstream in Trinidad has largely remained largely in line with its
historic roots. Much more common for Muslim women is a headscarf or
no covering.

Black Power Movement
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7. (SBU) Understanding Islam in T&T also requires a look back at
the "Black Power" movement of the 1960s and 1970's. Due to the
relatively large migration of T&T citizens to North America, and the
tenor of the times, some Afro-Trinidadians in the U.S. and Canada
were attracted to Black Muslim organizations. Perhaps the most
famous local offshoot of the Black Power movement is the Jamaat al
Muslimeen (JAM),led by Yasin Abu Bakr, formerly known as Lennox
Phillips.

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8. (SBU) Abu Bakr, a former police officer, led an unsuccessful
coup in 1990. While the influence of JAM and Abu Bakr diminished
after this attack, he remains a figure of some foreboding in
society. Though "enjoying" the reputation of a radical with
terrorist leanings (working off the popular conception of Abu Bakr,
the JFK plotters hoped to gain funding from the JAM -- the
organization supposedly wanted nothing to do with the alleged
terrorists),and using this to help gain publicity and resources,
the JAM now is alleged to be essentially a criminal gang, not a
terrorist group and also involved on the fringes of local politics.



9. (SBU) Another group deserving of attention that has some local
members is the Muslims of America (MOA). Members of the MOA include
deportees from Canada and the U.S., Tyrone Cole and Wali Muhammad.
These two Trinidadians were involved in planning a bombing in
Toronto in 1994 and deported back to Trinidad in 2006.

Community Structure
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10. (U) There are over 30 Muslim organizations in T&T, representing
religious views of Trinidadian Muslims from the most conservative to
those with a more secular bent. The Islamic Coordinating Council of
Trinidad and Tobago serves as the organizing body of all local
Muslim groups and is made up of four main organizations: the Anjuman
Sunnat-ul-Jamaat Association (ASJA),the Trinidad Muslim League
(TML),the United Islamic Organization (UIO) and the Trinidad
Islamic Association (TIA). There are also many local Islamic
organizations throughout the island focused on social interactions.


11. (SBU) The most influential of the larger bodies is the ASJA,
which claims to represent over 80% of all Trinidad Muslims.
Currently led by Imam Yacoob Ali, it promotes a moderate and
inclusive form of Islam and seeks to educate Islamic youth in their
heritage and traditions. The ASJA sees it educational thrust as
important to help blunt more fundamentalist Islamic interpretations.
An additional ASJA concern is the conversion of Afro-Trinidadians
within the prison system to more radical views; the ASJA seeks to
counter this by sending moderate clerics to prisons to teach the
Koran. This effort, however, is hampered by the widespread
impression that the ASJA is more focused on Indo-Trinidadian Muslim
concerns than those of its Afro-Trinidad fellow congregants.


12. (SBU) The other three main Islamic organizations are popularly
seen as somewhat less moderate. ASJA leaders estimate that as many
as 5,000 persons belong to these groups. The most vocal of them is
the Trinidad Muslim League. The TML has petitioned the government in
the past to become the official voice of Islam on the island
although in actuality it represents only a small minority of
Muslims. It is important to note, however, that all of the
organizations under the Islamic Coordinating Council have denounced
fringe groups like the JAM for alleged criminal activities and have
promoted peaceful dialogue in resolving issues with others in
society.


13. (SBU) Another small but noticeable Muslim group is the
Ahmadiyyas. These Muslims are considered heretical by many other
sects and are persecuted in many parts of the world. In Trinidad,
while they are not considered part of the mainstream, they are
generally tolerated by their fellow Muslims. The Ahmadiyyas
frequently seek travel to the United States for religious study and
international conferences.

Islamic Schools
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14. (SBU) Islamic schooling is becoming more prevalent in Trinidad,
due to the government funding of all religious schools. Catholic,
Hindu, and Muslim schools all receive two-thirds of their funding
from the government, which in turn requires a standardized
curriculum. Most notable of these schools is the ASJA Boy's College
in San Fernando, which has an enrollment of approximately 650. Some
non-Muslim parents enroll their children in these schools due to
their reputation for discipline and high learning standards.


15. (SBU) Though the majority of Islamic schools are simply that --
schools that also teach Islam -- there are some radical and
fundamentalist academies. Notable in this regard is the Darul
Uloom. It was founded in 1984 by Indo-Trinidadians who had been
educated in religious schools in India and Pakistan and is part of
the United Islamist Organization (UIO). The school claims an
enrollment f approximately 200 girls and 200 boys, with strict
separation, generally not the norm among Muslims in Trinidad. While
the school maintains standard education in addition to religious
training, its extremely conservative approach to Islamist thought
has caused concern among many in the moderate Islamic community.

Trinidad as a hub of Islam in the Caribbean

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16. (U) Given its relative wealth and religious tolerance, Trinidad
is considered by many as the nexus of Islam in the Caribbean. While
Suriname and Guyana have greater Muslim populations, their relative
isolation and lack of transportation infrastructure inhibit meetings
or conferences. Trinidad, by contrast, offers many inter-island
flights and reasonable conference facilities. As a result, it hosts
many international Muslim conferences, which gives even greater
prominence to moderate factions such as the ASJA. Conversely, this
ease of travel has the potential to facilitate future extremist
activities, such as the JFK Airport plot, both in Trinidad and the
United States.

Comment: Some concerns, but not many
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17. (SBU) Some Muslims with radical views live in T&T and a few
schools are outside the mainstream. In addition, some students go
abroad to study in madrasses in the Middle East, South Asia, and
occasionally South Africa. There also are known contacts among
local Muslim radicals and others with similar views in the
Caribbean, and missionaries do visit here from outside the region.
That said, given the general nature of the Muslim community and its
integration into society, the likelihood of a large radical movement
gaining steam here -- as opposed to a radical few potentially
arising -- is very small.

AUSTIN