From Guyana Times

Having recognised that “significant” extremists from the Caribbean have joined the self-styled Islamic State (ISIS or ISIL), the United States is seeking to severe any ties the notorious terrorist organisation may have in the Region.
This is one of the areas of concern that the North American nation is aiming to address as it seeks to establish a framework for enhancing security, among other things, of its Caribbean partners and self.
To this end, the US State Department, in coordination with the US Agency for International Development (USAID), on Monday submitted a multi-year Caribbean strategy paper to Congress – “Caribbean 2020” – to increase the security, prosperity, and well-being of the people in the US and the Caribbean region.
The Caribbean, dubbed America’s “third border”, is a vital part of US efforts to counter organised crime and illicit trafficking, and support democracy throughout the Western Hemisphere, the United States said.
The strategy paper outlined that the US and the Caribbean face many common threats across the Region. On this note, it was pointed out that small but significant numbers of violent extremists from the Region have joined ISIS.
“On security, we will work with our Caribbean partners to ensure ISIS is denied a foothold in the Region…,” the paper stated.
Over recent years, the conversation has been deepening on ISIS turning to the Caribbean Region for recruitment. In fact, recent reports have revealed that the twin island of Trinidad and Tobago, with a population of just 1.3 million, is said to be largest recruitment source for ISIS per capita, in the Western Hemisphere.
This is following revelations by the T&T Government back in February that some 130 of its nationals, including women and children, have left for Syria and Iraq over the last four years and are suspected of being involved in terrorist activities.
Subsequently, a New York Times article had reported that law enforcement in the celebrated tourism destination country were “scrambling to close a pipeline that has sent a steady stream of young Muslims to Syria, where they have taken up arms for the Islamic State…”
This was after the then newly President-elect, Donald Trump, had a phone conversation with Trinidadian Prime Minister Keith Rowley about terrorism and other security challenges.
“American officials worry about having a breeding ground for extremists so close to the United States, fearing that Trinidadian fighters could return from the Middle East and attack American diplomatic and oil installations in Trinidad, or even take a three-and-a-half-hour flight to Miami,” said Journalist Francis Robles in the February 21, 2017 article titled “Trying to Stanch Trinidad’s Flow of Young Recruits to ISIS”.
There are propaganda videos released by the Islamic State portraying fighters, speaking with Trinidadian accents, training in the desert with sniper rifles and encouraging their countrymen to join them.
This prompted the island’s State security officials to begin intensive surveillance and monitoring of the country’s home-grown Islamist movements. In fact, the T&T Government have since proposed amendments to tighten its anti-terrorism laws with the aim of cracking down on the flow of money to Islamic State fighters overseas by establishing criminal penalties for those sending money to the group.
Trinidad has a history of Islamic extremism. Back in 1990, a radical Muslim group – Jamaat al Muslimeen – held the then Prime Minister and several Cabinet members hostage during a six-day siege which claimed 24 lives. More recently, in 2012, Trinidadian national Kareem Ibrahim was sentenced to life in prison for joining a failed plot to blow up the John F Kennedy International Airport, New York, in 2007.
While there has been no linkage of Guyanese nationals joining the Islamic State, back in December 2015, Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud had disclosed that the Guyana Police Force was in receipt of “unverified” information of a suspected terrorist in Guyana.
Moreover, the Police Commissioner had told media operatives then that there were no reports of Guyanese, who have travelled to terrorism-torn countries joining the Islamic State or returning to Guyana from any of those countries.
That revelation had come on the heels of reports of terrorist Adnan El Shukrijumah, claiming to be Guyanese. The Al Qaeda member was shot and killed in Pakistan by its military in December 2014. Shukrijumah, who was believed to be of Guyanese parentage, was wanted by the United States over a 2009 plot to attack the New York subway system.

For more on this story go to: http://guyanatimesgy.com/us-looking-to-prevent-isis-foothold-in-caribbean/

IMAGE: Business Insider