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| Raoul Pantin: "The man (Bakr) had a form of insanity." |
Pantin, who was held hostage at the state-owned Trinidad & Tobago Television (TTT) during the failed 1990 Muslimeen coup made the statement during testimony at the inquiry into the uprising.
“There is an element of fantasy about the guy’s psychology. I believe he sees himself as becoming some kind of ayatollah,” Pantin stated. He added, “There’s an element of masquerade, the long gown. There’s a bit of the Carnivalesque, burlesque aspect to his personality.”
Pantin said he didn’t hear Bakr or Jamaat leaders talking about making T&T an Islamic state. However he said some of the younger Muslimeen insurgents spoke about it and their desire to introduce Sharia law.
Pantin said he didn’t hear Bakr or Jamaat leaders talking about making T&T an Islamic state. However he said some of the younger Muslimeen insurgents spoke about it and their desire to introduce Sharia law.
"They didn’t come up with that on their own. I believe they would have heard it in discussions at the Jamaat prior to the coup,” Pantin stated.
He said his view is that Bakr suffered from some form of psychological disorder, citing Bakr's invitation to the people he held hostage to have dinner at the Jamaat’s mosque.
“When the army released us Bakr invited us to dinner at the mosque. After taking us hostage, to invite us to dinner. The man had a form of insanity, as far as I’m concerned,” Pantin said.
he told the commission that 22 years after the ordeal he still suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. He stated that the experience caused him to become an alcoholic.
“I used to drink but I became a heavy drinker after. I became an alcoholic. I used alcohol as a sort of suppressant,” he explained. He said his sister helped him solve his problem and today he no longer consumes alcohol.
“I used to drink but I became a heavy drinker after. I became an alcoholic. I used alcohol as a sort of suppressant,” he explained. He said his sister helped him solve his problem and today he no longer consumes alcohol.
He also said he cannot understand how the courts could uphold the amnesty granting to the Muslimeen and is "aghast" that the courts awarded Bakr $3.4 million for damages to his property during the coup d’etat.
Pantin, whose book "Days of Wrath" is an account of the Muslimeen uprising, said he began writing the book while he was a hostage at the TV station as a form of therapy and to leave a record in case he did not live.
Pantin, whose book "Days of Wrath" is an account of the Muslimeen uprising, said he began writing the book while he was a hostage at the TV station as a form of therapy and to leave a record in case he did not live.
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