A LOCAL Muslim was denied entry into Trinidad from Tobago on Friday allegedly because of his radical beliefs on Islam, the Sunday Express learned yesterday.

Umar Abdullah, 42, was detained by local law enforcement officers on Friday after he attempted to board the 1 p.m. sailing of the ferry, T&T Spirit, at the Scarborough port.

Abdullah, who had a ticket for the ferry’s sailing, was on his way to Port of Spain to celebrate Eid-ul-Adha, a time when the sacrificing of domestic animals such as goats, sheep or cows usually takes place as remembrance of the sacrifice made by Prophet Abraham.

After being detained Abdullah was taken to the Scarborough CID where he was questioned overnight and eventually released around 2 a.m. yesterday.

Law enforcement officials deemed Abdullah a threat to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) currently being held in this country and also a threat on the life of a specific individual at the conference.

Abdullah allegedly penned a letter to French President Nicolas Sarkozy earlier this year to complain about Sarkozy’s treatment of Muslims in France.

In July, Sarkozy spoke out strongly against the wearing of the burka by Muslim women in France.

And Abdullah’s letter was allegedly written in response to Sarkozy’s claim that burkas, were ’not welcome’ in France, the country with the largest Muslim population in western Europe.

Sarkozy arrived in this country on Friday from Brazil.

Investigating officers found it ’strange’ that Abdullah decided to travel to Trinidad the same day that Sarkozy arrived here, the Sunday Express learned.

Apart from Abdullah being questioned, his home and business place in Tobago were also searched.

Abdullah, sources claimed, has been of interest to both United States and United Kingdom intelligence agencies previously while specific plans to attack those countries’ interests here were being investigated.