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alexk
Guest
T&T nationals who left the country and have been involved with terrorist organizations like ISIS should not return with ideas that are against democratic values, Inshan Ishmael, chairman of the Barakah Foundation, said yesterday.
“A Muslim is one who does not promote violence. All those who have gone and want to fight should remain there. Do not bring back your ideology here. Do not spread that ideology here. That ideology has no part in our religion, it has no place here,” he said during Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations at the Barakah Grounds in Chaguanas.
According to Ishmael, T&T has more 150,000 Muslims and if 100 of them are involved in illegal activities, that represents less than one percent of the country’s Muslim population.
“At the end of the day, it is a miniscule amount. I want the authorities to monitor the places where these people come from. I want these people to be held accountable because these are the things we do not stand for and will never stand for. Look around, there is no one with guns here,” he said.
Ishmael said religious organizations like his own are just as important as a family in dealing with crime and other social problems.
“A criminal is not born. A criminal is made through the homes, through the schools, through institutions, in fact sometimes even through religious places. Sometimes you have criminals leading organizations and it does not matter what religious organisation you are, when you have criminals leading organizations, what do you expect,” he said.
Ishmael said this year the Barakah Foundation organised almost $60,000 in food and other items for charity. He said the organisation has given out millions of dollars in charity, not only to the Muslim community, but also to Hindus and Christians.
“It is a tremendous undertaking and these items are distributed today. Immediately after the sermon we will begin. Our organization is one of those that gets assistance from the Government. We have not received anything as yet but we have gone ahead and purchased and put everything in place., so whether we get or we do not get, we put things in place to make sure this is done,” he said.