TRINI ISIS BLOWN UP
By Nalinee Seelal Friday, July 1 2016
A 34-YEAR-OLD Trinidadian who left his Richplain Road, Diego Martin home in August 2014, accompanied by his two wives and two children, to perform guard duties in Syria was killed last Friday at his workplace during a US airstrike on ISIS terrorists in that country.
The Trini was identified yesterday as Chris Steve Lewis also known as Abdool Rahim. He also had the alias ‘Fig Man’ because he provided bananas for high end supermarkets locally.
Newsday understands Lewis worshipped at the Jamaat Al Muslimeen compound in St James but in August 2014, told Jamaat members and relatives that he was going to England to do guard duties and make a better life for himself. However, Lewis travelled to Syria with his wives and children and carried out guard duties for ISIS rebels. While in Syria, he married a third woman.
On Friday last, he went to work and received a phone call stating that another person who was supposed to turn up for duties failed to do so and he was asked to do a second shift. Lewis accepted the offer to work a second shift and it was while on guard duties, US aircraft bombers fired missiles at the compound where he was stationed. Lewis and other ISIS members were kiled.
Lewis’ first wife contacted relatives in Trinidad shortly after the bombing attack informing them of his death.
The funeral for Lewis was expected to take place yesterday in Syria and Newsday understands that authorities in Syria contacted Interpol in Trinidad and informed them of his death.
It remained unclear how many others were killed in the bombing attack. His Trini widows and children are now contemplating returning home.
On Wednesday, another USled attack bombed a convoy of ISIS vehicles in the Iraqi city of Fallujah with 250 ISIS terrorists being killed. A TT Special Branch source told Newsday that Lewis was on a list of 35 persons known to have left this country to fight for ISIS in Syria. An attack in Istanbul earlier this week, which left 41 dead, has been blamed on ISIS.
Lewis was red-flagged as being an ISIS supporter and his name was given to US authorities as being linked to ISIS and checks were made to verify if he had made any attempt to return to this country.
Newsday understands that Lewis kept in contact with many friends and relatives in Trinidad but never told them he was in Syria.
Yesterday, his brother Dennis told Newsday that the family was saddened over Lewis’ death but denied reports that his brother was linked to ISIS. He said that based on his own information, his brother was doing guard duties in Syria.
He said his mother was left traumatised at the news that her son was killed in such a horrendous manner.
“She is really hurting, and we are trying to comfort her because she really believes that Chris was in England making a good life for himself and his family, only to be told that he was killed in a bomb attack in Syria, really shattered her,†Dennis said. What is equally painful for the family, Dennis said, is the fact they won’t get to say a final farewell to Lewis before his burial today.
Yesterday, Richplain residents who knew Lewis said he was a Good Samaritan who was always willing to assist persons in need and always looked out for those he was close with. They added that he was an astute businessman who worked around the clock in his banana trade and was a devout follower of Islam.
An official of the Jamaat Al Muslimeen yesterday said the Jamaat members were saddened at Lewis’ death and said they remember him as a regular attendee at the Mosque. Special Branch sources said if Lewis’ widows return to Trinidad they will be interviewed and kept under surveillance. There is no law banning the women and children from returning to this country.
Yesterday, both Head of the Special Branch Snr Supt Ainsley Garrick and head of the Counter Trafficking Unit (CTU) Alana Wheeler claimed no knowledge of Lewis’ death in Syria.
www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,229936.html
