Author:
Publication: The Jang, Pakistan
Date: February 21, 2001
Port of Spain, Trinidad - The leader
of a radical Muslim group which tried in 1990 to overthrow Trinidad and
Tobago's government said his group is poised to launch another coup. Yasin
Abu Bakr's threat on Sunday was sparked by President Ray Robinson's decision
this week to end a political crisis by appointing as government ministers
seven ruling-party politicians defeated in December's parliamentary vote.
Prime Minister Basdeo Panday had
demanded the appointment of the politicians from his ruling United National
Congress party, saying he has the right to name his government ministers.
Robinson at first resisted, saying it would be undemocratic to appoint
defeated candidates, but later bowed to pressure from the business community
in this Caribbean island nation. "We are going to remove the UNC from government.
I promise you that," Abu Bakr said on the privately owned Power 102 Radio
after returning from a trip to Libya.
Abu Bakr is leader of the Jamaat
al-Muslimeen, which in 1990 attempted to overthrow the government led by
Robinson, who was then prime minister. Some 34 people, including a government
minister, were killed.