Muslim groups meet with AG on Anti Terrorist Bill

The RTDG, which includes the Anjuman Sunnat Ul Jamaat Association (ASJA); Trinidad Muslim League Inc. (TML); Ahmadiyya Muslim Community of Trinidad and Tobago; Darul Uloom of Trinidad and Tobago Limited and Tackveeyatul Islamic Association met with the Attorney General at his Port-of- Spain offices last Friday.

In a statement yesterday, RTDG coordinator Hafeez Khan noted in regard to the Anti-Terror Bill, the Muslim community “is cognisant of the responsibility of the Government to protect the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago” including the Muslim community.

“We are not sympathetic to those citizens who are choosing to jeopardise their lives and the security of our country by engaging in terrorist activity either directly or indirectly,” Khan stated, adding, “we commend the Attorney General and the Government for bringing this piece of legislation to Parliament at this time.” “Our examination of the amendments shows it would clearly strengthen the bill by making the language clearer and closing some loop holes. The anti-terror amendments are from an Islamic perspective, generally a good piece of legislation as it seeks to maintain social order and protect the society from the evil of those who would want to perpetrate terrorist acts,” he stated.

“However there are some doors left open that could bring harm to some. We are therefore requesting that some measures be put in to avoid and or minimise those consequences,” he stated, adding that an organisation could be branded wrongfully based on the actions of one individual.

“You are penalising all the persons in an organisation or business, ie other directors, shareholders, and employees, who may not have known or suported the actions of one director, manager, secretary or other officer,” he stated.

He also noted that because the Act “reverses the established principle that a person is innocent until proven guilty, (not being given the right to be heard or defend himself) there should be provisions to expedite the opportunity for a person who may be innocent to prove his innocence.”