Abdel Nur still on the run June 6, 2007
Posted by Scarecrow in 06/04/07 Newsday 1.trackback
Abdel Nur still on the run
By NALINEE SEELAL Monday, June 4 2007
ARREST SCENE: The Masjid-us-Salaam in Tacarigua where alleged terrorist plotter Trinidadian Imam Kareem Ibrahim was arrested on Saturday in connection…
RECORDS of the Immigration Department have revealed Abdel Nur, one of the four suspects in the plot to blow up a fuel pipeline at the John F Kennedy Airport in New York City, arrived in Trinidad last month and never departed.
Immigration officers believe the Guyanese national is in possession of several fake passports and other false documents which he has been using to evade capture.
The records, which also indicated Nur was a regular visitor to this country, were handed over to officers of the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), who are working alongside Interpol and officers of the Special Anti-Crime Unit (SAUTT) in locating Nur who is strongly believed to be in hiding somewhere in Trinidad.
The FBI has an office in Trinidad and officers work at the American Embassy at Marli Street, Port-of-Spain. Yesterday, the FBI officers were in constant contact with their superiors in the United States.
The Guyanese fugitive, who has links with a Muslim group in Trinidad, was closely associated with 56-year-old Trinidadian Kareem Ibrahim alias “Pops” of Cane Farm in Tacarigua and former Guyanese Opposition Member of Parliament Abdul Kadir.
Kadir was arrested just before midday on Friday while aboard a plane destined for Venezuela. He was taken to the cells at the Central Police Station based at the Old Police Headquarters on St Vincent Street, Port-of-Spain where he remains under heavy guard.
Kadir was told that he was detained on information that he was attempting to secure money in Trinidad and Tobago and Iran to support terrorist activities in the United States. Another man, Trinidadian father of five, Kareem Ibrahim was arrested at a Tacarigua mosque on Saturday. He too was taken to the Central Police Station.
Police sources revealed that the two men were kept in separate cells and are not allowed any visitors. Isha Kadir, the wife of Abdul Kadir, was expected in the country last night.
She denied that her husband was linked to any terrorist plot and added that he was in Trinidad purely to visit friends. She said her husband left Guyana last Thursday for Trinidad and was due to attend a religious conference in Iran.
When Newsday visited the Tacarigua house where Ibrahim lives, a relative said that he did not wish to comment on the arrest.
He said that as far as he was concerned Ibrahim is not associated with any planned terrorist activities.
He admitted that Ibrahim and Abdul Kadir are familiar with each other but denied any knowledge of ever seeing fugitive Abdel Nur in Tacarigua.
Police sources told Newsday that it is possible that Nur may have left the country illegally for Venezuela, but they are working round the clock in a bid to apprehend him.
Police Commissioner Trevor Paul said yesterday that any updates on the investigation will be revealed today at the weekly press briefing.
