BAKR ALLEGATION AGAINST PM AGAIN SURFACES

UNCLAS PORT OF SPAIN 000376

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PTER TD
SUBJECT: BAKR ALLEGATION AGAINST PM AGAIN SURFACES

REF: PORT OF SPAIN 0222

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED; PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY


1. (SBU) Summary: A judge has directed that the 2006 allegation by
Jamaat al Muslimeen (JAM) leader Yasin Abu Bakr that he cut a deal
with Prime Minister Manning on the eve of the 2002 election to
provide foot soldiers for the PNM campaign be investigated. Bakr
claims that, in exchange, Manning was going to forgive a large JAM
legal debt. While some in the opposition are highlighting this
claim, Attorney General Jeremie argued it has little veracity and is
at variance with testimony Bakr provided in 2005. Manning also
denied the allegation, as have other GOTT officials. Given Bakr's
low credibility and the endless dead ends of the local legal system,
it is unlikely this allegation will lead to anything. End Summary.

A Murky Claim
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2. (SBU) The JAM's legal debt of approximately $5 million stems
from fines related to its role in the 1990 coup. The GOTT has been
seeking to seize JAM properties for some time to cover the debt. In
2006, as part of the effort to keep his properties, Bakr provided an
affidavit where he raised his alleged electoral deal with Manning.
Bakr has lost repeatedly in local courts and also before the Privy
Council, which ruled his affidavit "irrelevant," and said the JAM's
properties could be sold. Local High Court Justice Narine, though,
ruled on Sept 11 that Bakr's allegation merits investigation since,
if true, they would "strike at the heart of our democratic system of
government."

No Authority
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3. (SBU) PM Manning denied the allegations, asking if they were
true, why has the government spent years trying to seize Bakr's
lands? Minister of Works and Transport Colm Imbert, a Manning
confidant, also questioned Narine's authority to "order the police
to investigate an unproven allegation." Attorney General John
Jeremie further noted that Bakr's 2006 claim is belied by testimony
he gave in a separate 2005 case. A close aide to the PM also told us
that Manning will not formally respond to the accusations because it
is the Attorney General's responsibility to do so. The aide added
that Bakr's properties will soon be sold.

Comment: Into the Round File
--------------


4. (SBU) It is by no means clear that there is anything to Bakr's
allegations; his reputation for probity and honesty is not exactly
sterling in T&T. Many here are still upset over his role in the
1990 coup and also his supposed current criminal ties. While there
is a widespread belief that Manning was assisted by the JAM in 2002,
the reason is unclear and there is now no love lost between the two.
While the press is trying to keep the story alive -- including
through a false allegation that DHS listed this case on its website
(we have gone back to the newspaper on this) -- the most likely
outcome is for the matter to float away. It will occasionally
surface, but absent a smoking gun, not threaten Manning in any way.


KUSNITZ