Over 20 shots fired at Muslimeen’s Benz

A FOUR-year-old girl escaped death when gunmen opened fire on a blue Benz in which her father, a member of the Jamaat-al-Muslimeen and another man were occupants, police sources told Newsday yesterday.

Senior police officers described the shooting at Muslimeen Ken “Kazim” Gonzales, his four-year-old daughter, Jayideah Gonzales, both of Foster Street, Port-of-Spain, and another man identified as Lincoln “Salim” Alexis, of Cascade, as an assassination attempt. The gunmen fired approximately 20 shots. It is reported that around 3.45 pm Friday, Gonzales was driving his blue Benz in the vicinity of Matura and Patna Streets, St James, when another vehicle pulled alongside and opened fire with a high-powered rifle.

Gonzales and Alexis were both grazed by bullets, while little Jayideah escaped unhurt.  They were reportedly returning from Juma at the Mucurapo compound of the Jamaat-al-Muslimeen. A report was made to the St James CID and officers headed by Sgt Nandram Moonilal and others visited the scene. Police said they had no motive for the attempted assassination and said little information was forthcoming from people close to the shooting.

Gonzales appeared in the Port-of-Spain Magistrate’s Court last July 19 on a provisional warrant for possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking in St Vincent and the Grenadines, who had requested the provisional warrant with a view to extradition. He is alleged to have had 380 pounds of the illicit drugs in his possession on May 28, 2002, at Chateaubelair.  The charge, laid by Insp Adam Joseph, was subsequently dismissed. Police officer Foster Scott of St Vincent and the Grenadines had laid the information.