A TEAM of officials from the Iranian police force is due here to assist in the investigation into the kidnapping of Iranian scholar Mohammed Hassan Ibrahimi in Georgetown earlier this month.
Several Muslim organisations hosted a joint press conference yesterday to express their concern about the kidnapping and their outrage at the police raid on one of the premier Islamic schools in Guyana after the kidnapping.
Officials said the Iranian police team is expected within the next 14 days to assist the locals in the investigation of the kidnapping.
While the kidnapping remained clouded in mystery with no word from the kidnappers or trace of the victim, the Muslim leaders declared that they were baffled and have no information from the police.
“We are not sure if he is dead or still alive”, a spokesman said.
He said a delegation from several Muslim organsations will meet the Commissioner of Police to discuss the kidnapping, among other burning issues.
An official from the Guyana Islamic Information Centre, Mr. Salim Ibu Abdul Kadir, said there has been no ransom for money or linkage with a hate group or some other organisation, and they remain baffled over the whole issue.
Head of the Guyana Islamic Trust (GIT), Mr. Wazir Baksh said the kidnapping of the Muslim cleric was the first such occurrence in Guyana.
He wished the Guyana Police Force well in carrying out its general mandate of protecting and serving the nation and called for speedy progress in investigating the abduction and disappearance of Ibrahimi, while assuring the Commissioner of Police of the full cooperation of the Muslim community in the fight against this and any form of terror.
He, however, added that “until and unless this crime is solved, Muslims in Guyana, especially its leadership, remain unconvinced of their safety and protection from this or similar fate.”
Ibrahimi, 35, the Iranian-born Director of the International Islamic College for Advanced Studies in Georgetown, was taken from his car by heavily-armed men just outside the college at Lot 42B United Nations Place, Brickdam, at about 22:10 hrs on April 2, after the men had reportedly blocked his path and sprayed his motorcar with bullets.
In the process, his administrator, Raymond Hally, was shot in the foot.
The kidnapped man’s wife, who is in an advanced state of pregnancy, is very fearful for his life since no contact has been made by the abductors.
The Anti-Kidnapping Squad conducted a two-hour raid at the Guyana Islamic Trust (GIT) ISA Islamic School, on East Street, South Cummingsburg, Georgetown, last week while classes were in progress.
Six employees were detained for questioning and were subsequently released.
At yesterday’s press conference Salim Ibu Abdul Kadir admitted that Ibrahimi was kidnapped shortly after responding to a call from a functionary within the organisation informing him of water dripping somewhere in the building.
He added that Police investigations later proved that there was no water dripping in the building, but refused to comment on questions on if it was an inside job or a set up.
He said that while he was representing Ibrahimi he is attached to the branch in Linden and would not be able to comment on some of the issues raised.
He was unable to comment on claims that a substantial sum of money was withdrawn from a local commercial bank by Ibrahimi prior to his kidnap.
Baksh stated that Muslims throughout Guyana are very upset with the recent turn of events and the GIT is receiving countless phone calls from Guyanese at home and aboard, expressing their concern at what is happening in the country.
The Muslim community is also condemning the recent Police raid on the ISA School calling it “heavy-handed tactics” and “unnecessary and uncalled – for.”
“While we are aware that there is an international ‘witch-hunt’ against Muslims suspected of being terrorists, we are proud and confident that the peace loving Muslims of this nation pose no such threat to our brothers and sisters in Guyana and humanity at large” the GIT Head said.
He added, “The Muslims of Guyana are better known for their acts of charity and humanitarianism, and as a collective have an enviable reputation as peaceful and law abiding citizens. We would prefer that this reputation be recognised, respected and upheld”
“The raid on the ISA Islamic School has sullied the reputation of the entire Guyanese Muslim community” he lamented.
“Additionally, the detention of the Principal, his Deputy and other senior members of staff, including placing one of them in the lockups for more than an hour, indicate a blatant disregard on the part of the Police Force for the leaders of the Muslim community and its institutions”, he said.
While noting that the institute was not off limits to the Police, he criticised the manner in which the investigation was done.
He called on the Police Force to publicly admit that it acted on false information and that the ISA school and its staff have been cleared of any and all suspicion.
“As an entity responsible for its actions, the Police Force now needs to clearly absolve the ISA Islamic School of lingering doubts and suspicion and any perception of wrongdoing” he stated.
The press conference was held at the Secretariat of GIT and was hosted by the Muslim Youth Organiastion; Guyana United Sadar Islamic Anjuman; Imam Baqir Islamic Centre; Guyana Islamic Information Center; Guyana Islamic Institute; ISA Islamic School; Hujjatul Ulamaa; Diamond Darul Uloom and Guyana Islamic Trust.
Responding to a query on the absence of officials from the Central Islamic Organisation (CIOG), the Head of GIT explained that his organisation had a meeting with CIOG and they gave their support on the issue of the police raid on the school.
Deputy Principal of the ISA Islamic School, Ms. Aqleema Rahmav, stated that the students were severely traumatised by the police raid.
The students at the time were preparing for examinations and since the event she has received phone calls from a number of parents questioning the safety of their children in the school.
Responding to a question on the police’s conduct in the prayer room, she pointed out that they violated the sanctity of their place of worship, by not removing their footwear.
The GIT Head felt that the Police should have had a more professional approach instead of 10 heavily armed police surrounding the building and holding the building under siege for over two hours.