Violence Alters Way Of Life In Trinidad

A parallel drug economy and a crippling crime surge of kidnappings for ransom, murders, andfive bombings by Muslim extremists in the past few months have placed this oil- and gas-rich Caribbean nation on the edge of a crisis. The FBI has promised to help. Trinidad has registered a record 310 murders so far this year. Kidnappings are almost double last year's figure. A string of five bombings that started in July -- the latest one occurred on Thursday -- have rocked the capital of Port-of-Spain and left Trinidadians with a new sense of vulnerability.

About 15,000 Trinidadians recently marched through Port-of-Spain to protest the record crime. On Tuesday, FBI Director Robert Mueller flew in for a one-day visit. After meeting with Prime Minister Patrick Manning and his national security team, Mr. Mueller pledged U.S. assistance to Trinidad's anti-crime effort. He offered to expand the U.S. legal attache's office in Port-of-Spain, provide four agents to assist in the bombing investigations, more forensic help in identifying trace materials used in the bombings and increased assistance in areas of narco-trafficking and kidnapping. The bomb attacks directed police attention to Islamic organization Jamaat al Muslimeen's leader Yasin Abu Bakr and three followers, who were questioned and released. Bakr, who led a violent coup attempt against the government in July 1990, later dismissed law enforcement interest in his group as a ''political conspiracy'' and vowed to use the intelligence arm of his group to find the perpetrators of the bombings.

The Independent Conservative, a black blog, writes: "I’m thinking OJ’s investigation to find his ex-wife’s killer might turn up better results than Bakr’s efforts to find the people behind these bombings!" I co-sign.