'Jihad in Jamaica': Newsweek examines the link between the Caribbean and ISIS.
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Sheikh Faisal arrested in Jamaica. |
ST PETERS, Sint Maarten — An American weekly magazine has pointed to links between the Islamic State terrorist group and the Caribbean, particularly Jamaica and Trinidad, in a recent article which centers on the recent arrest of Sheikh Abdullah Al-Faisal, who was born Trevor William Forrest.
In the September 1 article titled "Jihad in Jamaica: How a radical cleric's arrest reveals a link between ISIS and the Caribbean", Newsweek wrote: "Dub reggae, tropical fruit, Cajun eats and Rastafarianism are just some of the things people might associate with Jamaica, but this week the Caribbean island was linked with a more sinister subject: radical Islamism".
Citing Harry Sarfo, a jailed former trainee with the terrorist group, the magazine wrote that Caribbean natives were sometimes members of special ISIS units, such as Jaysh al-Khalifa, or the Army of the Caliphate.
The article quoted a letter by Sarfo stating: “I've met members of Jaysh Al-Khalifah and Jaysh Al-Wilayat who are from Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. They also have ties to organized crime on their islands, but if they are planning [to target the US] or recruiting, I don't know”.
Newsweek said the arrest of al-Faisal, who was apprehended on an extradition warrant in Jamaica on August 25, "could finally have revealed a potential link between the radical Islamist group and its recruitment in the Caribbean country".
Al-Faisal was indicted on charges of recruiting would-be terrorists, having been arrested after a months-long sting carried out by an undercover New York Police Department officer who communicated with him by e-mail, text and video chat.
He is slated to return to court on September 11 for a possible bail hearing after being remanded into custody after appearing before Senior Parish Judge Chester Crooks for his extradition hearing on August 28.
Consequently, a mention date was set for October 27, by which Taylor said he hopes to have all the evidence US authorities will be relying on in their case against al-Faisal to make full disclosure to the defense.
Newsweek said that while Al-Faisal helped Muslims in the US, "he also associated with young Muslims in Jamaica, according to one account of a fellow worshipper of Faisal, speaking by phone from the mosque at the Islamic Council of Jamaica, one of the main Muslim bodies in Kingston."
The article said that after two deportations and a yearlong sting operation, it appears that Washington has finally bagged Al-Faisal, whom "they were so concerned was a high-level threat to national security".
Check the link below for the full Newsweek article.
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