Bakr uneasy over son’s detention

JAMAAT al Muslimeen head Yasin Abu Bakr told a media briefing on Tuesday he felt some unease over his son Fuad’s detention by the police as he was participating in protests earlier in Port of Spain, and then taken to Besson Street Police Station.

He said his attorneys had twice visited a local police station to try to get details on Fuad Abu Bakr but to no avail, with an officer allegedly hanging up the phone on a further inquiry.

Showing a video of his son’s detention, Yasin Abu Bakr said his son was head of the New National Vision (NNV) party who represents people, and if he could be arrested, then so could any other politician in TT. He said his son had done nothing to merit detention.

Abu Bakr’s attorney CJ Williams threatened to file a writ of habeas corpus by 6 pm on Tuesday to try free Bakr who was arrested in East Port of Spain during early morning protests. On the protests, Bakr said people have the right to a peaceful protest but he understood if they could not contain their emotions, like fans at a football match.

However, he added, “I’d urge all protesters not to be drawn into a firefight with the police.” He said peaceful protests will achieve some justice.

Citing a report of an 86 per cent rise in police killings in the past year, he said young black men should be concerned about this and a lack of action to probe these deaths to a conclusion. On the police killing of three men on Saturday at Morvant, he said the evidence was clear that this was an extra-judicial killing.

Abu Bakr said Tuesday’s protests were clearly spontaneous as they were so widespread. “So many people seem aggrieved by these killings, and so many others.”

Abu Bakr opined that crime statistics showed a poor performance in office by Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith and that he should resign. Williams said the officers involved in the shooting of three men last Saturday should all be suspended pending an investigation.

Abu Bakr said potential witnesses to the incident will be intimidated to know those officers retain their guns and police badges. Williams had no knowledge of any orchestrated plot but said protesters were people who were frustrated. Bakr said videos of police beating protesters could exacerbate tensions.

Saying the US Black Lives Matters protests had lasted two months, he did not think Tuesday’s protests in TT would quickly go away.