CALM IN COURT June 7, 2007
Posted by Scarecrow in 06/05/07 Nation News.trackback
CALM IN COURT
TWO SUSPECTS arrested in Trinidad and Tobago last Friday for allegedly plotting to blow up New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport appeared in court there yesterday charged with “conspiracy to commit a terrorist act under the laws of the United States”.
Kareem Ibrahim, of Canefarm, Arouca, and Abdul Kadir, a Guyanese with American citizenship, as well as a former member of Guyana’s parliament, are among four suspects in the case. A third man, Russell DeFreitas, was arrested in New York on Friday.
One man, Abdel Nur, remains at large and is believed to be in Trinidad.
At 9:40 a.m. Ibrahim and Kadir were led into a packed court before Chief Magistrate Sherman McNicolls. They were brought to the court in a heavily tinted Special Anti-Crime Unit vehicle.
David West, head of the Central Authority Department in the Ministry of the Attorney-General who is representing the interest of the United States, informed the court of the alleged offence.
West also pointed out to the court that the requesting state had up to 60 days to file its record of case before the court.
Kadir and Ibrahim, bearded and clad in loose-fitting traditional Muslim clothing like many of the courtroom spectators, were calm during the 20-minute hearing in which McNicolls told them they faced possible extradition to the United States.
There was a brief question and answer session between McNicolls and Ibrahim when McNicolls asked if he (Ibrahim) had any other names.
He replied: “No.”
McNicolls then read out two other names for Ibrahim – “Winston Kingston and Amir Kameer” – to which Ibrahim replied: “Yeah.”
“You mean yes, sir!” shot back McNicolls.
“Yeah,” said Ibrahim.
Rajiv Persad, who is among the battery of attorneys representing the accused, informed the court that the defence intended to apply for bail on the next court hearing carded for Monday.
The matter was then adjourned and in about 45 minutes the men were whisked away from the court in the same SUV in which they were brought in, remaining silent as they were being taken away.
Meantime, Police Commissioner Trevor Paul appealed yesterday for public help in finding Nur, also called “Uncle Abdul”, who is considered to be armed and dangerous.
Attorney-General John Jeremie was quoted as saying in yesterday’s Miami Herald that “we do have some indication there is a connection” between the terror suspects and the Jamaat al Muslimeen led by Yasin Abu Bakr. However, Commissioner Paul said he could not yet confirm any links.
Bakr yesterday denied any connection to the four men accused of planning the blow-up.
