the cocaine and
missile in then San Fernando East MP Baksh’s water tank on
the eve of the 2002 general elections.
The allegations outlining Abdullah’s involvement in the plot
were contained in a statement sent to Police Commissioner Trevor
Paul and Director of Public Prosecutions Geoffrey Henderson by former
US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) associate Vernon Paul.
The names of Prime Minister Patrick Manning, PNM deputy chairman
John Donaldson, Point Fortin MP Larry Achong and Public Administration
and Energy Minister Dr. Lenny Saith were also contained in Vernon
Paul’s statement.
After some initial hesitance to pursue the matter further, Police
Commissioner Paul last week appointed Superintendent Errol Dillon
to spearhead a fresh investigation into the sinister plot.
Retired Head of Homicide, Senior Superintendent Dyo Mohammed, was
in charge of the initial investigations.
Police files show that he was only able to trace the missile, which
contained English marking, through Interpol, as being manufactured
in Philadelphia, USA.
It was confirmed that the missile, manufactured in 1984, was assigned
to the Venezuelan Army to be used for target practice.
However, the investigation was stumped when no further information
was forthcoming from the Venezuelan Army as to how the missile managed
to reach Trinidad.
Vernon Paul’s statement provided the police with a detailed
account of a plot to destabilise the UNC by smuggling the missiles
along with other arms and ammunition and cocaine from Colombia into
Trinidad.
As Dillon settled down to the unenviable duty of interviewing Abdullah,
PM Manning, Donaldson, Achong and Saith, concerns have been raised
by members of the public about Abdullah’s absence from the
local scene.
For the past three weeks, he has been missing from his Sunday morning
programme on I95.5 radio station.
He has also been conspicuously absent from attending Juma (prayers)
at the Islamic Resource Centre on Queen Street, Port of Spain.
However, an informant told Mirror that there was talk that Abdullah
had quietly departed on a trip to China.
It was pointed out that he has a history for sneaking out of the
country whenever there is the likelihood of being detained or questioned
by police.
Records at Immigration and Special Branch will show that Abdullah
hid in Venezuela just before the judgement of the 1992 Habeas Corpus
judgement in the Court of Appeal was handed down following the 1990
insurrection, in which Abdullah was in charge of the insurgents
who bombed Police Headquarters and then invaded the Parliament in
Red House, where they held several MPs hostage.
MP Leo Desvignes died as a result of gunshot wounds and Prime Minister
at the time, Arthur N.R. Robinson,.was shot in his leg.
When the Habeas Corpus judgement was handed down, most of the 114
Jamaat al Muslimeen members who took part in the insurrection stood
their ground.
All the other leaders, with distinct absence of Bilaal Abdullah,
Kwesi Atiba and members of the Islamic Research Centre, were in
court to hear the verdict.
That matter was appealed all the way to the Privy Council
In 1994, under Attorney General Keith Sobion, the State was awarded
compensation of $15 million by Justice Tam.
The award was made only against Jamaat al Muslimeen leader, Imam
Yasin Abu Bakr, and 59 of the men who took part in the insurrection.
There was never an explanation as to how the names of Bilaal Abdullah
and Kwesi Atiba, who were senior members of the Jamaat al Muslimeen
in 1990, were excluded from this judgement.
It is widely rumoured that Abdullah is a ranking member of the PNM
and a personal advisor to the Prime Minister, much to the displeasure
of some members of Parliament and longstanding members of the party,
especially when he attends general council meetings. |
