US Embassy: Shabaaz was warned

ASSISTANT coach of the Trinidad and Tobago football team, Jamal Shabaaz, was in possession of a visa revoked by the United States Embassy when he was detained by the US State Department at Miami Inter-national Airport on July 8.

It was reported that Shabaaz was held on suspicion of a forged visa during entry in the US, where he was said to be on his way to attend a CONCACAF course on behalf of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF). But Ward Murrow, Consular General of the US Embassy at Marli Street, Port-of-Spain, revealed yesterday that Shabaaz was guilty of a visa discrepancy. “In March of this year, we sent a letter to the gentleman (Shabaaz) asking him to appear for an interview (with the Embassy) because we discovered information (about the visa) and we needed to discuss them with him,” said Murrow. “He had a valid passport but his visa was revoked,” Murrow continued. “However he completely ignored our letter and continued to travel (with it).” Murrow said the top Jamaat al-Muslimeen member, who was formerly the head coach of the national women’s team and also serves as coach of Caledonia AIA, was warned about the serious issues surrounding the dubious visa document.

A source close to the TTFF indicated that Shabaaz, who is being defended by Faith Mesnekoff, one of Florida’s Assistant Federal Public Defenders, appeared before a Florida judge yesterday where an arraignment was made and a copy of the charges was received. Shabaaz, who is being kept at the Federal Detention Centre in Miami, will know the date for his trial within the next few weeks. Efforts to reach Mesnekoff at her Miami office yesterday proved futile. FIFA vice-president Jack Warner has been attempting to assist Shabaaz during his incarceration and is communicating with him through e-mails. Warner is currently in Miami at the Gold Cup tournament staged under the auspices of CONCACAF of which he is the president.