THE Muslim community has lauded the government of Trinidad and Tobago for finally admitting its mistake in ’humiliating’ a member of the Saudi Arabian Government.

President of the organisation, Muslims of Trinidad and Tobago, Imtiaz Mohammed said the apology not only helped to maintain ’good relations between the two countries’, but it averted serious implications.

Addressing members of the media at a press briefing at the Caroni Masjid, he said Saudi Ambassador to Venezuela, Judyah Z Al-Hathal, had contacted the group and told them that the action taken by the national police ’was a very big mistake’ and that an apology was necessary.

The apology comes after Muslims, and citizens at large, called on the Government and the police to apologise for entering Saudi diplomat, Dr Fawaz Abdul Rahaman Al Shabili’s hotel room at the Hyatt hotel last Monday and asked him to remove his t-shirt while they searched his room for arms and ammunition.

Al Shabili, who came to this country on behalf of the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the sole purpose of issuing 207 Hajj visas for local Muslims who wished to perform the Holy Pilgrimage this month, later told Sheik Munaf Mohammed that he felt as though the local officials made a mockery of him.

Normally, Muslims wishing to perform Hajj had to travel to Venezuela to get the visa.

This in spite of the fact that the Ministry stated this country ’established formal diplomatic relations with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on 5th July, 1974’.

However, the Sunday Express understands that Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Patrick Edwards, had not yet presented his credentials to the Saudi Government even though he had been in the position since 2007.

Mohammed said Saudi Ambassador to Venezuela, Al-Hathal did not speak to Edwards about the issue nor did Edwards assist in getting the diplomat here. Instead, this country’s Ambassador to Venezuela, Razia Ali, was contacted by the Saudi Embassy in Venezuela about the matter last Friday, Mohammed said.

He further explained that had the Government not issued an apology, the Saudi Government was ready to withdraw all services to this country including the issuance of visas for Hajj.

’The government has shown they can act responsibly when called upon to do so. All the other people, non-Muslims and Muslim will feel quite happy, because this will keep the relationship between the two countries in a peaceful and respectful manner,’ he said.

While the group had previously asked for the apology to come from Prime Minister Patrick Manning himself, Mohammed said it will accept this.

’We were guided by an experienced Muslim lawyer and politician, Mr Nizam Mohammed, who said that when incidences like this take place, the protocol is normally for the Ministry of Foreign affairs to issue the apology to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the next country, so we should accept this apology as sufficient and have the issue closed there,’ he said.