Yasin Abu Bakr

2025-08-18T04:07:13Z

108.234.59.13: Fixed grammar

{{Short description|Trinidadian Islamic leader (1941–2021)}}
{{More citations needed|date=October 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}

{{Infobox Politician
| birth_name = Lennox Philip
| image = Yasin Abu Bakr speaking.png
| caption = Yasin Abu Bakr speaking
| birth_date = {{birth date|1941|10|19|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Port of Spain|Port-of-Spain]], [[Trinidad and Tobago]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2021|10|21|1941|10|19|df=yes}}
| alma_mater = [[Queen's Royal College]]
| party = [[Jamaat al Muslimeen]]
| children = 15, including [[Fuad Abu Bakr|Fuad]] and [[Radanfah Abu Bakr|Radanfah]]<ref name="Fraser-2014"/>
}}

'''Yasin Abu Bakr '''(born '''Lennox Philip'''; 19 October 1941<ref>{{Cite web|date=22 October 2021|title=Trinidad's failed coup leader Abu Bakr dies|url=https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/trinidad-s-failed-coup-leader-abu-bakr-dies_234370|access-date=22 October 2021|website=Jamaica Observer}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=G1YYAAAAYAAJ&q=Lennox+Philip+October+1941|title = The Silent Victory|last1 = Furlonge-Kelly|first1 = Vitruvius E. T.|year = 1991}}</ref> – 21 October 2021)<ref>{{Cite news|last=La Vende|first=Jensen|date=21 October 2021|title=Abu Bakr, leader of 1990 attempted coup, dies at 80|work=[[Trinidad and Tobago Newsday]]|url=https://newsday.co.tt/2021/10/21/yasin-abu-bakr-has-died/|access-date=21 October 2021}}</ref> was a Trinidadian [[Islamic extremism|radical Islamist]] leader and [[militant]] who founded and led the [[Jamaat al Muslimeen]], an [[Afro–Trinidadians and Tobagonians|Afro-Trinidadian]] Muslim group in [[Trinidad and Tobago]]. He is best known for orchestrating the 1990 [[Jamaat al Muslimeen coup attempt|coup d’état]], during which he and over 100 armed members of his group stormed the [[Red House (Trinidad and Tobago)|Parliament (Red House)]] and state television station, holding the Prime Minister at the time [[A. N. R. Robinson|A.N.R Robinson]] and several cabinet members hostage for six days.

==Life==
Abu Bakr was born Lennox Philip in Trinidad and Tobago and grew up in a suburb of [[Port of Spain|Port-of-Spain]] as the eighth of fifteen children. He graduated from [[Queen's Royal College]], and spent time on his tertiary studies in [[Toronto]], Canada.

Abu Bakr converted to Islam, although there are two conflicting descriptions of how it took place. One story states it occurred in 1969 after an Egyptian preacher visited Trinidad.<ref name="bbc.com">{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/stories-47419535|title=The man who led the Western world's only Islamist coup|work=BBC News|date=3 March 2019|publisher=}}</ref> The other story states it occurred in the early 1970s while still in Canada, and that he returned to Trinidad already converted in 1973. He changed his name shortly after converting.

In the 1970s he lived in Libya as a guest of [[Muammar Gaddafi]].<ref name="bbc.com"/> Upon his return to Trinidad and Tobago he founded the [[Jamaat al Muslimeen]].<ref name="bbc.com"/>

Abu Bakr collapsed and died at his home on 21 October 2021 at the age of 80.

==Coup==
{{main|Jamaat al Muslimeen coup attempt}}
In 1990, 100 of Abu Bakr's followers stormed the [[Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago]] and took the Prime Minister [[A. N. R. Robinson]] hostage.<ref name="bbc.com"/> Abu Bakr surrendered to police six days later, and spent two years in jail.<ref name="bbc.com"/>

== Personal life ==
Abu Bakr had four wives including Annisa Abu Bakr, an economist,<ref>{{Cite news |last=La Vende |first=Jensen |date=2021-10-23 |title=Attempted coup leader Abu Bakr laid to rest |url=https://newsday.co.tt/2021/10/23/former-attempted-coup-leader-abu-bakr-laid-to-rest/ |access-date=2025-04-21 |work=[[Trinidad and Tobago Newsday]]}}</ref> Atiyah Abu Bakr,<ref name="Pires-2015">{{Cite news |last=Pires |first=BC |date=2015-07-26 |title=Growing up Abu |url=https://www.guardian.co.tt/article-6.2.367359.6d698fc2cb |access-date=2025-04-20 |work=[[Trinidad and Tobago Guardian]]}}</ref> and Indrani Maharaj-Abu Bakr, an attorney<ref>{{Cite news |last=Alexander |first=Gail |date=2010-09-30 |title=Bakr charged with murder again |url=https://www.guardian.co.tt/article-6.2.343244.b9ea0b1a0a |access-date=2025-04-21 |work=[[Trinidad and Tobago Guardian]]}}</ref> and 15 children: nine daughters and six sons.<ref name="Fraser-2014">{{Cite news |last=Fraser |first=Mark |date=2014-07-24 |title=I dont live in anybodys shadow |url=https://trinidadexpress.com/news/local/i-dont-live-in-anybodys-shadow/article_e7394fe6-8afe-57ac-8d74-6f7c0b965599.html |access-date=2025-04-20 |work=[[Trinidad and Tobago Express]]}}</ref>

His son [[Fuad Abu Bakr|Fuad]] later embarked on a political course, eventually becoming the leader of the New National Vision party, a minor political party founded in 1994 in Trinidad and Tobago. He unsuccessfully attempted to obtain a seat in the [[2020 Trinidad and Tobago general election|2020 general elections]]. Another son of his, [[Radanfah Abu Bakr|Radanfah]], played football professionally.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* Angela Potter, [http://www.canarsiecourier.com/News/2001/1101/OtherNews/018.html "Trinidad Muslims Being Closely Monitored"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090813045539/http://www.canarsiecourier.com/News/2001/1101/OtherNews/018.html |date=13 August 2009 }}, Associated Press, 1 November 2001.
* Robin Walker, [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6716765.stm "Profile: Jamaat al Muslimeen"], BBC News, 3 June 2007.
* Danny Gold, [https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-islamic-leader-who-tried-to-overthrow-trinidad-has-mellowed-a-little/ "The Islamic Leader Who Tried to Overthrow Trinidad Has Mellowed… a Little"], ''Vice News'', 30 May 2014.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Abu Bakr, Yasin}}
[[Category:1941 births]]
[[Category:2021 deaths]]
[[Category:Trinidad and Tobago religious leaders]]
[[Category:Trinidad and Tobago rebels]]
[[Category:Trinidad and Tobago Muslims]]
[[Category:Converts to Islam from Christianity]]
[[Category:Alumni of Queen's Royal College, Trinidad]]

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Yasin Abu Bakr