The National Assembly on Friday honoured convicted terrorist Abdul Kadir as a “great man.”
Kadir died in a U.S. prison last year June while serving a life sentence after he was found guilty in 2010 of plotting to blow up fuel tanks at New York’s Kennedy International Airport.
“There can be no doubt whatsoever that the offenses for which Mr. Kadir was convicted are about as serious as they come, short of murder,” said Judge Dora L. Irizarry of Federal District Court in Brooklyn, in handing down the sentence.
She said that he had taken part in “a plan that would clearly cause devastation unimaginable.”
The motion passed in the National Assembly, with only the government Parliamentarians present read: “Be it resolved, that this National Assembly records its deep regret on the death of Mr. Abdul Kadir, on 28th June, 2018, and pays tribute to his dedicated service to the Parliament of Guyana as a Member of Parliament where he served in the Eighth Parliament, from 17th April, 2001 to 2nd May, 2006, and to the people of Guyana.”
“The people of Linden and Guyana have lost a great man, a stalwart, a bold and courageous man,” said Valerie Patterson-Yearwood, Minister within the Ministry of Communities as she presented a motion.
Minister Patterson-Yearwood said Kadir was a “fruitful man” who had nine children and 43 grandchildren.
She quoted one of his grandchildren as saying “it did not matter how persons saw our grandfather” and that he was a “hero” who tried to “pass on his knowledge” to them in the best way he could.
The Minister quoted the same grandchild as saying Kadir was a very religious and independent individual.
Kadir had maintained his innocence and had told the court: “The God that created us all and knows our inner thoughts knows I’m innocent,” he said. “At no time did I ever pose a threat to any person or property in this country (USA).”
Kadir was born on December 8, 1961, in the village of Buxton, East Coast Demerara, as Michael Seaforth.
He converted to Islam in 1974 and changed his name. In his political career, he served as Mayor of Linden.
He was a chemical engineer by profession.
Minister Patterson-Yearwood noted that “being a man who travelled extensively, throughout the Caribbean, South America, Canada, England and the Middle East, Abdul Kadir was fluent in English, Spanish, French and Arabic.”
The motion was passed with the resolution that the Parliament directs an expression of its sympathy to his sorrowing widow, children and relatives.
Some of Kadir’s relatives were in attendance for the passage of the motion.
