On July 27th, 1990, Trinidad and Tobago, once a British colony faced one of its darkest moment in its history. On this day, the country was held at random as 114 terrorists from the Jamaat al Muslimeen led by their charismatic leader, a former police officer, Yasin Abu Bakr. These rebels launched an armed attack on the sitting Parliament House, which was at the time, occupied by members of the three political parties of Trinidad and Tobago. Those parties were The National Alliance for Reconstruction (NAR), which was the Government of Trinidad and Tobago at the time, the opposition People National Movement (PNM), and the United National Congress (UNC) together with the members of the public. These rebels also stormed and took control of the Trinidad and Tobago Television station (TTT), which was located one mile from the red house by taking their staff hostage. They also seized control of the Trinidad and Tobago Broadcasting Company (TBC).
The leader of The National Alliance for Reconstruction (NAR), Prime Minister Arthur Napoleon Raymond Robinson also popularly known as Mr. A.N.R Robinson. His party won the December 1986 general election with an impressive 33-3 majority, thus displacing the Peoples’ National Movement government after thirty consecutive years in office. At that time, the Member of Parliament was attending a debate on ‘corruption probe findings in the House of Representatives.’
Friday 27th July 1990 the first Day of Captivity
That Friday started like any other Friday in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. People were liming with friends and that particular day most of the public was heading to the National Stadium to observe the Caribbean Football union match final between Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. Suddenly,