The Trinidad and Tobago Ministry of National Security is investigating reports that at least 50 Trinidadians have flown to Syria within the past few months to join the terrorist organization Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
Intelligence reports say that the Trinidadians have been obtaining bogus documents to travel to Syria.
National Security Minister Gary Griffith said the government was monitoring the travel patterns of suspect foreign fighters and seeking to verify their involvement with ISIS.
He said this was being done because of Trinidad’s close working relationship with intelligence agencies from the l00-plus countries which signed the United Nations (UN) Resolution to work together so share information and monitor such movement.
‘This is not just about terrorist activities but also we are monitoring those who may be financially funding ISIS fighters, who may be assisting in their movement to and from Syria as well as those who may want to be involved in the training of terrorists activities,” he said.
The minister also pointed out that the United States Central Intelligence Agency assessed there are between 20,000 and 31,000 fighters across Iraq and Syria who are part of ISIS. More than 15,000 foreign fighters including 2,000 westerners have gone to Syria. Fighters come from more than 80 countries.
