Criminal Bar slams Bakr over bloodshed threat

The statement was made as the leader delivered his sermon to members of the Jamaat during Eid celebrations last Friday.

According to the association, those charged with the responsibility of upholding law and order in the society have a clear duty to investigate this matter expeditiously and ensure that if there are any breaches of the criminal law, established steps should be taken to enforce the law.

The investigation of the matter falls within a very narrow compass so that citizens are entitled to know within a relatively short time, what action, if any, the authorities propose to take, the association added.

The condemnation of the Criminal Bar Association follows that of the business community which also issued a statement saying they were "appalled" at the statements made by the Muslimeen leader.     

The group said it was inconceivable that threats of this nature could be made publicly in the name of religion, and by someone with the antecedents of Abu Bakr. The business community said regardless of whether Bakr’s statements were made in the context of religion or not, the group said the authorities must not ignore this threat "at their own peril."

Meanwhile, the council of the Jamaat Al Muslimeen has come out in support of its leader, Imam Yasin Abu Bakr, deeming the Jamaat leader’s police detention as "harassment."

Bakr was still in police custody up to late last evening.