Nagra Plunkett, Staff Reporter

WESTERN BUREAU:

While it is still uncertain when Jamaican-born Islamic cleric Abdullah el-Faisal will be deported to Jamaica, the local Police High Command is already expressing an interest in interviewing him when he arrives.

"It is unlikely that he will be here imminently," Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Mark Shields, officer with responsibility for crime, told The Gleaner on Wednesday.

"There is no doubt that when he comes we will interview him and let him know that the sort of incident that led to his indictment will not be tolerated here."

El-Faisal, christened Trevor William Forrest, was in 2003 jailed in Britain for nine years for soliciting murder and inciting racial hatred. The sentence was reduced to seven years on appeal.

The 42-year-old father of three, who converted to Islam at age 16, is facing deportation as part of the judge's ruling that he return to his homeland after serving his prison sentence. El-Faisal has been living in the United Kingdom (U.K.) for over 22 years.

Britain's Observer newspaper reported two weeks ago that the native of Point, St. James, is scheduled to arrive home within weeks.

The mullah is believed to have influenced at least one of the July 7, 2005 bombers in London by his teachings. It is also reported that his videos have been seen by several of the terror suspects arrested earlier this month.

"I know he is about to finish his sentence ... he is likely to go through an appeal process so there is no fixed date for his deportation," DCP Shields said.

"Internally the JCF (Jamaica Constabulary Force) can do a risk assessment of him on his arrival and monitor where he lives and what he is doing."

The officer further said that, since el-Faisal has already served a custodial sentence in the U.K., except for "warning him", local authorities can take no action against him unless he was wanted for an offence committed here.