Security & Strategic Review - February 2017 (ISSN 1741-4202)

Trinidad & Tobago has long been in the spotlight over the radicalisation of sections of its Muslim community. As long ago as 1990 a radical Muslim group attempted a coup d’etat, and now there are said to be 130 Trinidadians fighting with Islamic State in Syria. A proposed tightening of anti-terrorist legislation has been welcomed by the United States but has sparked anger in sections of the Muslim community. According to the 2011 census, Muslims make up about 5% of the country’s 1.34m population.