GUNS IN MOSQUE

WORKMEN repairing a ceiling at the Masjid-ul-Muttaqeen mosque in Munroe Road, Cunupia yesterday found a cache of arms and ammunition inside a black garbage bag hidden in the ceiling. The find comprised two pistols, two shotguns, an assault rifle, an assortment of ammunition and a ski mask.

The workmen alerted mosque officials who called the police. Central Division Task Force officers cordoned off the mosque and seized the weapons. They also searched the mosque for other illegal items but nothing was found. No arrest was made.

Maulana Saeed Ali, in a statement, said the find was made in the ceiling of a prayer room on the top floor.

He added that on the masjid’s invitation, police were asked to search of the entire compound to ensure no other illegal items were hidden.

“The Masjid wishes to categorically state that the illegal arms and ammunition do not belong to the organisation and we do not condone any illegal activity on our compound. In fact, we condemn the actions of whoever planted the weapons unknowing to us, in the masjid’s compound,” Ali said.

He assured in the statement that if the masjid’s authorities find the identity of the people who hid the weapons in the ceiling, same would be passed on to the police. He said the is in an open compound which is frequented by Muslims and non-Muslims alike. He said masjid officials have no control over who came to carry out religious or other activities.

“We are very saddened that anyone would choose a holy place of Allah to hide illegal guns and ammunition, especially in this month of Ramadhan. We condemn the action as un-Islamic,” Ali said.

An official of the mosque said its members are deeply disturbed over the find especially during the holy month of Ramadan. The official said that members are not aligned to any radical groups and do not condone violence.

Jamaat-al-Muslimeen leader Yasin Abu Bakr has officiated at funerals at this mosque and is close to its imam and other worshippers. The official said the police exercise yesterday did not prevent the Adhan (call to prayer) and recital of prayers.

The find came a day after Port of Spain police said they had intel that the Chaguanas-based Unruly ISIS gang was in the capital plotting revenge attacks on the Rasta City gang for the recent murders of ISIS affiliates. Police said that the mosque will be kept under surveillance and people entering or leaving may be subject to search.

Police said the weapons were sent to the Forensic Science Centre for ballistic tests and also fingerprint tests to see if the identity of the owners could be found. Yesterday, there was a heavy police presence outside the mosque.