Then They Came For The Jews...The Experience in Trinidad.

The Grand Rabbi of Lev Tahor Speaks Before the Final Departure From Quebec.
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A reaction to CBC: Trinidad's attorney general speaks out on Lev Tahor travellers. Lev Tahor | 13/3/14

Posted on the Lev Tahor website:

13/3/14

A reaction to CBC: Trinidad's attorney general speaks out on Lev Tahor travellers

"The group ... aroused the suspicions of our immigration authorities when the young children in their care could not be accounted for properly, as they were not being accompanied by their parents or legal guardians”,

The Haoyon family had a letter from the Soleimani family that Hayon are the guardians of the two Soleimani daughters. By the way, two teenage girls in the ages of 15 and 16 do not need a guardian.

“The group was travelling to Guatemala, but did not speak Spanish and could not properly account for the reason and purpose for their visit to Guatemala, and far less, the duration of their stay.… In addition, they could not explain the purpose of their trip — either in transit to Trinidad or to Guatemala".

The Hayon mother speaks Spanish, a lot of people that comes to Latin America to a trip do not speak Spanish, English is known almost all over the world. The duration of their stay was legal. Almost all people do not have a purpose to their trip. These people are Israeli citizens who were in Canada on work permits so there is no reason to send them back to Canada.

“These are matters — given the international concerns about child labor, child prostitution, the harvesting of organs from little children and, of course, human trafficking on the whole — that would be of obvious concern to any serious immigration and border protection agency,” Ramlogan said.

The immigration services understood that sending the children will be an offence on the human rights of the parents and the children. That sending them back is children neglect, moreover this is children abuse, because they saw the good relations between the parents and the children, this is the reason why Trinidad insisted so much on preventing the children to speak to the media.

That’s when authorities in Trinidad learned that some Lev Tahor members were subject to a child protection order that was issued in Quebec.

They also learned of a pending case before the Ontario Court of Appeal, where last month an Ontario court ruled to uphold a Quebec’s court’s decision that 13 children be placed with foster families.

“I do not know if they wished to return to Canada to have the decision in that appeal, but it would seem that they were attempting to go to Guatemala indefinitely,” said Ramlogan.

The law of Trinidad and Tobago says that this group had to be released to go to somewhere else and not only to Canada. A lawyer (Daniel Braun) that is an expert in immigration explains this in an interview to the CTV."

And one legal expert said the emergency order may not be enough to extradite the members to Canada. “What you require is a criminal offence to have been committed,” said immigration lawyer Daniel Brown.

"According to Ramlogan, the group faced immediate deportation, but they contacted a lawyer and filed an application under the constitution of Trinidad and Tobago to be freed from the immigration authority’s jurisdiction.

There was no problem in deportation, the group did not want to stay in Trinidad, the problem was that Trinidad enabled the group to travel back only to Canada.

That application was dismissed, so the members of Lev Tahor filed an appeal, which Ramlogan said was done past the 24-hour deadline.

“In this case, they filed almost five days after they were notified of the rejection — because the group was immediately notified by the immigration officer on duty that they were going to be denied entry into Trinidad and Tobago,” Ramlogan said.

The group came to Trinidad Monday. Tuesday, they already had a lawyer. Thursday they had the trial, and Saturday they were illegally kidnapped.

“There was no formal basis or legal justification to support their presence in Trinidad and Tobago, and they were therefore returned to Canada”.

There was no formal basis or legal justification to take their passports and to say that the passports were given to the private Canadian airline company WestJet, to prevent them to talk to the media, to prevent them to use internet/email, to prevent them to go out of Trinidad (According to the law of Trinidad and to the fact that they are not criminals), and to kidnap them before the appeal.

“We are very concerned about the international image of Trinidad and Tobago. The group was treated decently and in a humane manner and we extended all courtesies and hospitality that one could extend in the circumstances, once the group was in our care”.

Even when the group asked a small vital thing which is to buy Kosher food for Shabat, it was refused as stated in the interview here.

“We are interested to know what was the result of our efforts, and also on a humanitarian and compassionate level, what was the outcome,” he said, adding that he wants to continue to maintain good relations with Canada.

Trinidad did not have to wait to the hunger strikes in order to know that all its behavior was against the law and against the common sense and against human rights.

“Trinidad and Tobago takes pride in the fact that it shares very strong relations with Canada. We want to ensure that this sends the right signal that Trinidad and Tobago is the wrong place to try to use as a springboard for any form of suspected illegal activity or any form of evasion of lawful jurisdiction and authorities in any country”.

We are sure that Trinidad will be rewarded from Canada for its behavior, everybody understands now that Trinidad will do everything, with or without the law, in order to keep the interests of Canada in Trinidad state. SOURCE

Trinidad's attorney general speaks out on Lev Tahor travellers. CBC News | Mar 12, 2014 9:49 PM ET

A group of Lev Tahor children travelling without their parents immediately raised red flags for immigration officials in Trinidad and Tobago, says the country's attorney general.

'They could not explain ... the purpose of their trip,' — Anand Ramlogan, attorney general of Trinidad and Tobago

“The group ... aroused the suspicions of our immigration authorities when the young children in their care could not be accounted for properly, as they were not being accompanied by their parents or legal guardians,” Trinidad Attorney General Anand Ramlogan, told CBC News.

Some members of the ultra-Orthodox Jewish sect, originally from Quebec, fled Canada last week to head for Guatemala — but they were intercepted in transit in Trinidad.

Trinidad and Tobago Attorney General, Anand Ramlogan, says he will keep in touch with Canadian authorities about the Lev Tahor case. (CBC)

Ramlogan said officials grew suspicious after asking the group more questions.

“The group was travelling to Guatemala, but did not speak Spanish and could not properly account for the reason and purpose for their visit to Guatemala, and far less, the duration of their stay.… In addition, they could not explain what was the purpose of their trip — either in transit to Trinidad or to Guatemala."

Ramlogan said this caused officials to think the children’s safety was at risk.

“These are matters — given the international concerns about child labour, child prostitution, the harvesting of organs from little children and, of course, human trafficking on the whole — that would be of obvious concern to any serious immigration and border protection agency,” Ramlogan said.

Border agents prevented the group from continuing their travel to Central America and contacted Canada’s Justice Ministry.

“They were trying to ask Canadian authorities what were the facts,” Ramlogan said.

That’s when authorities in Trinidad learned that some Lev Tahor members were subject to a child protection order that was issued in Quebec.

They also learned of a pending case before the Ontario Court of Appeal, where last month an Ontario court ruled to uphold a Quebec’s court’s decision that 13 children be placed with foster families.

“I do not know if they wished to return to Canada to have the decision in that appeal, but it would seem that they were attempting to go to Guatemala indefinitely,” said Ramlogan.

Lev Tahor turns to legal system

According to Ramlogan, the group faced immediate deportation, but they contacted a lawyer and filed an application under the constitution of Trinidad and Tobago to be freed from the immigration authority’s jurisdiction.

That application was dismissed, so the members of Lev Tahor filed an appeal, which Ramlogan said was done past the 24-hour deadline.

“In this case, they filed almost five days after they were notified of the rejection — because the group was immediately notified by the immigration officer on duty that they were going to be denied entry into Trinidad and Tobago,” Ramlogan said.

According to Ramlogan, the six children and three adults were accompanied by three police officers on a private chartered plane back to Canada.

“There was no formal basis or legal justification to support their presence in Trinidad and Tobago, and they were therefore returned to Canada.”

Widespread attention

Ramlogan says the case has garnered international attention, and he’s been getting comments, messages and phone calls from people all around the world.

“I think this is a group that has attracted widespread controversy and attention, and their short stay with us in Trinidad and Tobago is one that has been very colourful,” Ramlogan said, adding that authorities in Trinidad acted appropriately.

“We are very concerned about the international image of Trinidad and Tobago. The group was treated decently and in a humane manner and we extended all courtesies and hospitality that one could extend in the circumstances, once the group was in our care.”

Ramlogan said he will keep in touch with Canadian authorities.

“We are interested to know what was the result of our efforts, and also on a humanitarian and compassionate level, what was the outcome,” he said, adding that he wants to continue to maintain good relations with Canada.

“Trinidad and Tobago takes pride in the fact that it shares very strong relations with Canada. We want to ensure that this sends the right signal that Trinidad and Tobago is the wrong place to try to use as a springboard for any form of suspected illegal activity or any form of evasion of lawful jurisdiction and authorities in any country.”

Posted on the Lev Tahor website: 12/3/14

"The daring operation
With secrecy, the best Canadian Forces arrived one by one, the best police forces , the best military forces , people strongly shivered while their aspirations to save the six hostages was accompanied by a fear that they would be murdered by the three war criminals that were holding the hostages and were known for their brutality.

In order to keep the operation covert, the plane of the Prime Minister of Canada was elected to fly the task force, the head of the Canadian Intelligence Service was elected to be the head of the operation ... and the plane set off to Trinidad...

The forces that worked, in a combined international operation, with the Trinidad police best forces, waited primed and ready in the plane. Meanwhile Trinidad forces secretly crept to the hotel which housed the horrible war criminals. The forces concentrated near the openings of the hotel, and ...erupted in surprise and found the vilest war criminals planning, the horrible crimes that they will execute, in their beds, during sleeping... the police stormed with supreme courage into the beds, pulled out the foul criminals and beat them mercilessly. To their surprise the hostages did not behave at all as hostages, they refused to be evacuated to the plane, the police did not get confused and kept, incredibly well beating, also the astonished hostages.

With superhuman efforts, the nine war criminals, were brought to the opening of the plane where the Canadian Forces pulled them up, with great heroism, to the plane, bringing the operation to its successful end.

All Canadian Forces and Trinidad forces returned safely to their bases." SOURCE

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Explanation on the email
This email that was sent in the name of Avrohom Dinkel summarizes the efforts that were made by the family in Trinidad to leave Trinidad to Guatemala. It also reminds the major offences against the law that were done by the authorities of Trinidad and Canada. An image of the original email that was sent by Shaul Boyer (The member in Lev Tahor that his girls were forcibly returned to Israel, and his family stays in Israel because of an exit warrant delay to Boyer's children that was achieved by his Boyer's mother) is below the email content.

The email content

As Avrohom Dinkel told me that even though he asked to use the email for the purpose of promoting the reception of the passports, he was rejected by Trinidad and Tobago authorities, and as he asked me to send this email in his name, I do so.

This email must also be sent to Richard ramoutar from the national security. 

1. This email comes as a response to a brutal violation of trinidad and Tobago law and of the common sense. 

2. Our passports (Mr Azar Hayon, Mrs Ester Hayon, Miss Yeshivia Hayon, Miss Tehila Hayon, Miss Yehodit Nechama Soleimani, Miss Miriam Soleimani, Miss Shira Hayon, Mr Moshe Yochanan Hayon, Avrohom Dinkel) where handed to the immigration. 

3. The immigration might have done something that is forbidden to it to do, according the Trinidad and Tobago law, and according to any known law of any country in the world, and according to the common sense, which is to hand it to a westjet representative. 

4. When we come to the immigration we are said that the passports are at westjet, when we come to westjet we are said that the passport are at the immigration.

5. We demand from you as one unit (immigration and westjet) to return the passports to us according to the law here and in any other place in the world. 

6. Otherwise, we will both sue you in court and demand the immigration to supply as an appropriate passport, as the passports were handed to it, if there is no other choise, we would accept for the near future Trinidad and Tobago passports. 

7. If you have any other authority or person that should receive this letter, in its existing wording or in another wording, and thus in order that the reception of the passports will be finally settled, you are required to tell us so, fully and unambiguously in a written email to the emails ************ and **********, within a period that would give us the possibility of at least a day (excluding Saturday ) to resend the corrected email to the corrected list of people in order to finish the process of obtaining the passports. This email that is sent to you, should be also seen as if it was sent with the corrected text that is allowing the obtaining of the passports back, and to the corrected list of people that need to get this letter in order that the passports will be returned to us.
If you do not do so we see this as a violation of the law of full disclosure as is commonly interpreted in most countries . 

Shaul Boyer in the name of Avrohom Dinkel, the lawyer will assure that this letter is sent on the opinion and the will of Avrohom Dinkel. SOURCE

"In the name of child rights: 12/03/14

The family that came to Trinidad was arrested and Trinidad investigated the story. Trinidad was looking for an excuse to bring the family back to Canada, the immigration took the passports of the family and told them afterwards that the passports are at the airline company. When they came to demand passports from the airline company, they were told that the passports are at the immigration and back again.

Trinidad and Tobago called to Guatemala that agreed to accept the family if they are not criminals, Trinidad and Tobago also called Panama that agreed that the family will move away in a connection flight. The law in Trinidad, expressly allows a person who came from abroad to immigrate to every place in the world, if he is not a criminal.

Having no other choice, and acting against the law, came the Canadian police plane with the Canadian police. When in the history Canada sent a plane that trend to end a procedure without a trial? Even murderers have trial in the place where they remain until their extradition, even the Americans that entered the territory of Pakistan to kill bin Laden were protested vigorously by the Pakistan government. Since when honest people are led bound, all the way to the plane, to break the spirit, as they are arch criminals?!

Do you Remember the Boyer affair, about the two girls who were forcibly returned from Canada to Israel without any real reason? Here, too, the Israeli consul in Trinidad attended the trial of course contributing what he could to operate the crime.

The police broke into the hotel, specifically, with anti-Semitism, on Saturday afternoon and dragged brutaly and violently the family members, that were not even dressed (See the pictures of Avrohom Dinkel when he went out from the airplane), from their beds , and reminded everyone by the beating that they handed out indiscriminately their concern over the rights of the poor children. Next time do not be surprised if you hear about parents or children killed, they are willing to kill them to preserve the children rights.

They were beating the father, Ezer Hayon, savage beating along the way. The picture shows a policeman hitting him rudely when he lays on the ground without a skullcap and his prayer shawl is torn. The operation was done on Saturday (!) just to degrade the Judaism and break their hearts and spirits to pieces, parents with children.

The second terrifying picture is of 16-year-old Jehudith Nehama Solimany that was also beaten walloping along the way and dragged like that by the police to the car, all to protect her child rights. By the way, she is the daughter of the family of the drunken junkie Oded Twik that wants to get custody of his sisters' children. Jehudit Nechama called to the community and said that if the children will not be taken to their parents the children will open a hunger strike that will not end until they will be returned to their family. Do not be surprised if these children, which are victims of the Child Protection, particularly Judith Nehama, will have irreversible damage to death, all in the name of children's rights.

Not only Jehudith Nehama Solimany was beaten, it was the fortune of all the children (and the adults) that were beaten hard by the police, as they were not beaten before even once in their lives. All in the name of their child rights.

We go back to Auschwitz (picture of Berlin 1939). If Canada wants the community, then it should leave her alone, however, if it does not want the community, then it should allow her to go. Why Canada makes Chatham to a concentration camp to the community, and why officials from the immigration are planning to come to the community and to look for any parent that is not legal if not to take away the children from their parents???

Here is a more inside look on the affair and on what might be in the future." SOURCE

T&T Govt criticised for deporting Jewish sect. By Geisha Kowlessar | Guardian Media | Tuesday, March 11, 2014.

A spokesman for the Lev Tahor sect, Lee Bolton, has condemned the T&T Government for deporting nine of its members back to Canada. The Toronto Star reported that a plane carrying three Lev Tahor adults and six children was met by police and children’s aid officials on Saturday night. The children were taken into the custody of Chatham-Kent Children’s Services, about a three-hour drive southwest of Toronto. They had fled Canada before a court date in Ontario at which they were scheduled to learn the outcome of their appeal against an order to remove 13 children from the ultra-Orthodox Jewish sect’s compound in Chatham-Kent, Ontario, near Windsor.

The Lev Tahor families are facing allegations of child neglect. In an interview yesterday Bolton said it was reported that one child was hospitalised and was refusing to eat after being taken away by the child protective services. “They sure aren’t coping very well. One child is in the hospital as she’s refusing to eat...she wants her parents. Your government had no business turning all these people over to Canada,” Bolton said. She said a 17-year-old mother was arrested in Calgary with her five-month-old baby, who was “pulled right off her breast.” Expressing concern for the baby’s welfare, Bolton added: “Isn’t that a wonderful way to treat children? The baby will probably not bottle feed and will end up in the hospital. I don’t think your government has any idea how bad the child welfare system is in Canada.”

Bolton said the Quebec Government has been asking its law enforcement officials to keep the rest of the group, which had no court orders, under house arrest in Chatham to prevent them from leaving. Expressing concern about what might happen if the children were placed in foster care, Bolton said there was a possibility they might be sexually abused. The Toronto Star also reported that in November, about 250 Lev Tahor adherents fled to Ontario from Quebec just ahead of an order to seize 14 children. Officials said they had evidence of physical beatings, underage marriage, forcible confinement and neglect. That order was upheld by an Ontario court which exempted a 17-year-old girl but not her baby.

UPDATED: Lev Tahor follower with infant apprehended at Calgary airport.

The Windsor Star | Mar 09, 2014 - 5:22 PM EDT

TORONTO – A 17-year-old woman and her five-month-old daughter, both members of the Lev Tahor Jewish sect in Chatham were apprehended at the Calgary International Airport on Sunday afternoon, say police. Const. Laura Bailly said Calgary airport unit officers assisted Chatham-Kent Children Family Services with the apprehension around 3:30 p.m.

“The female and her daughter are both members of the extreme religious sect and both are subjects of an apprehension order issued by the Ontario justice,” Bailly told the Calgary Herald.

The woman and her daughter are now in the care of Chatham-Kent Family Services and Bailly said they will be flown back to Toronto shortly.

Lev Tahor is a ultra-Orthodox Jewish sect that relocated last year to Ontario from Quebec, where a court had ordered 14 of the fringe group’s children be placed in foster care. Last week, an Ontario judge issued a similar emergency order to get 14 Lev Tahor children in protective care.

Police say nine Lev Tahor members who left the country amid child custody proceedings only to be stopped in Trinidad and Tobago have now been returned to Canada.

Peel Police Sgt. Dave Housdon says the Lev Tahor members landed at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport Saturday at 10:30 p.m. and the six children were placed in the care of the Children’s Aid Society.

Housdon said the three adults were being processed by the Canada Border Services Agency.

A spokeswoman for the agency said CBSA “continues to work closely with local law enforcement agencies on this case,” but wouldn’t say whether the three had been released.

At least two Lev Tahor families left Canada for Guatemala last week, but some of them were stopped in Trinidad.

They filed an appeal against the decision denying them entry but it was rejected because it was made outside the allowable time frame, Trinidad and Tobago Attorney General Anand Ramlogan said Sunday.

He said that decision came after he advised immigration officials on the statutory time limits for appeals.

Early last week, an Ontario judge issued an emergency order that 14 Lev Tahor children be placed in the care of children’s aid but police said Thursday that most of the children had left the country.

About 200 members of the sect — 114 of them children — settled in Chatham, Ont., last year after suddenly uprooting from Ste-Agathe-des-Monts, Que.

Child-welfare authorities in Quebec spent a year investigating issues related to hygiene, health, and allegations that the children weren’t learning according to the provincial curriculum.

Late last year, a Quebec court ordered that 14 Lev Tahor children be placed in foster care.

The group has denied all allegations of mistreatment.

LEV TAHOR TALKS. [Video] Trinidad Express

SOURCE: CBC

SOURCE: Trinidad Express

LEV TAHOR CLAIMS BRUTALITY.  Trinidad Express Newspapers | Mar 10, 2014 at 10:07 PM

Claims of brutality have been made by members of the Jewish group who were taken away in dramatic fashion from the Piarco International Hotel on Saturday. A spokesman for the group, which returned to Canada on Saturday night, told Canadian television that they were man-handled by the Trinidad and Tobago authorities.

Lev Tahor members back in Canada. By Joel Julien | Trinidad Express Newspapers | Mar 9, 2014 at 11:17 PM ECT

NINE members of “an orthodox Hasidic Jewish group” from Canada, known as Lev Tahor, who were denied travel to Guatemala when they entered Trinidad last Monday, have returned to Canada, with the six children being taken into custody and the adults being investigated for wrongdoing.

The nine Lev Tahor members—three adults and six children—left Canada amid child custody proceedings in that country.

According to a report from the Globe and Mail, Peel Police Sgt Dave Housdon said the Lev Tahor members landed at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport Saturday at 10.30 p.m. and the six children were placed in the care of the Children’s Aid Society.

Housdon said the three adults were being processed by the Canada Border Services Agency, according to the Globe and Mail.

Last Monday, around 5 a.m., nine members of Lev Tahor arrived in Trinidad on board a WestJet flight.

The group was in transit to Guatemala, through Trinidad and Tobago, from Toronto, Canada, when they arrived at Piarco International Airport.

When Immigration officials interviewed the group, “inconsistencies in their responses” were discovered.

The group was rejected and advised of their inability to travel to Guatemala.

They refused to return to Canada.

Local attorney Farai Hove Masaisai, who specialises in immigration cases, was contacted on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, Masaisai filed an application for habeas corpus. Justice Vashiest Kokaram heard the application on an “emergency basis” on Thursday and dismissed the application.

On Friday, Masaisai lodged an appeal of the Immigration rejection order against Lev Tahor.

On Saturday, local law enforcement officials handed over the Lev Tahor members to Canadian law enforcement and immigration officials at Piarco International Airport for their return to Canada.

Some members of the group did not go quietly,

Shortly after 5 p.m. on Saturday, they were escorted on to a small chartered aircraft by officials of the National Operations Centre (NOC) and the Port of Spain and Northern Division Task Force.

The Central Authority Unit had been liaising with its counterpart in Canada and was advised that the children were subject of a Child Protection Order in the province of Quebec in Canada.

“This order awarded custody of the children to the Department of Child Protection in Quebec. That decision was appealed and the Court of Appeal of Ontario (last Thursday) dismissed the appeal, thereby confirming the custody order,” a release from the office of the Attorney General stated last week.

“It would therefore appear that the adults fled to Trinidad whilst their appeal was pending,” that release stated.

Jewish sect sent back to Canada. By Renuka Singh | Guardian Media | Sunday, March 9, 2014.

The nine-member Orthodox Hasidic Jewish group has returned to Canada. The Sunday Guardian understands that Attorney General Anand Ramlogan stepped in with legal advice that mobilised a chartered airplane from WestJet airlines and three Canadian marshals to accompany the group back to Quebec.

The unmarked plane landed at the Piarco International Airport just after 4.30 pm yesterday and by 5.56 pm, the group was on board. Nine police officers also provided additional security for the short trek to the airport from the Piarco International Hotel, where the group has been since Monday. Chief Immigration Officer Gerry Downes sought Ramlogan’s legal advice on the matter and it was found that the nine appeals were not filed within the time prescribed by the Immigration Act.

The Sunday Guardian also understands that a second group, also including children, is still being sought by Canadian officials. This group, the Sunday Guardian was told, may already be in Guatemala via Mexico. This latest development comes after the group was detained for six days at the tightly guarded Piarco International Hotel, despite an attempt to file a hasty injunction to block the move.

When a van was seen leaving the hotel yesterday, the Sunday Guardian contacted the group’s local immigration lawyer, Farai Hove Masaisai, who would only said he was currently working on an injunction to stop that exact development. But Masaisai was too late, as just 20 minutes later, the group was moved to an unmarked white plane and left the country.

The group, led by Canadian Avrohom Dinkle—who is the only English-speaker among them—has been refusing to go back to Quebec and was reportedly en route to Guatemala when local immigration officials noted inconsistencies with their responses to questions.

Ramlogan, in a telephone interview yesterday, confirmed his intervention and said the group was being sought by Canadian officials to answer questions about how the children were being treated and the conditions under which they were being kept. The group appealed that order from the Ontario Court of Appeal but fled before any pronouncement was made. Ramlogan said that appeal was dismissed while the group was “camped out” at the hotel.

“The group was never allowed entry into T&T and therefore fell into an immigration twilight zone with their status undetermined and in abeyance,” he said. Ramlogan praised immigration officers and his colleague, National Security Minister Gary Griffith, who he said worked tirelessly alongside him to finalise this issue.

“What is clear is that this group was trying to evade jurisdiction in the Canadian courts and authorities. Once the appeal was dismissed by the chief immigration officer, there was no legal justification or lawful basis upon which the group could be allowed to remain in T&T,” he said. He said the Government would never facilitate a breach of international courts.

Jews sent back to Canada. By Irene Medina and Gyasi Gonzales | Trinidad Express Newspapers | Mar 8, 2014 at 9:40 PM

Trinidad and Tobago law enforcement officials yesterday handed over the nine members of the ultra-orthodox Hasidic Jewish Group Lev Tahor to Canadian law enforcement and immigration officials at the Piarco International Airport for their return to Canada.

But members of the group of men, women and children did not all go quietly.

One elderly man had to be carried by law enforcement officials while another, a screaming female, had to be pushed by two women police officers into a waiting 25-seater bus to be taken to the airport.

Shortly after 5 p.m. yesterday, the group which had been detained in Trinidad since last Monday, was escorted on to a small chartered aircraft by officials of the National Operations Centre (NOC) Port of Spain and the Northern Division Task Force.

The Lev Tahor members are at the centre of a legal matter in Canada involving some 14 children who are the subject of a child protection order in the province of Quebec, Canada. The order awarded custody of the children to the Department of Child Protection in Quebec.

That decision was appealed by the Jewish sect, but the Court of Appeal of Ontario, on Friday dismissed the appeal and confirmed the court order.

The nine members left Canada and were trying to get to Guatemala when they were detained in Trinidad.

Around 4.30 p.m. yesterday two buses, a large 25-seater and a 12-seater, were parked behind the Piarco International Hotel off BWIA Boulevard.

Present were several heavily armed officers of the Northern Division Task Force.

At 5.25 p.m., screams were heard.

An elderly bearded man was the first to be extracted from the hotel.

He was carried and placed in the back of a grey Suzuki Gran Vitara vehicle.

He yelled at the officers in a foreign language as the officer kept telling him, “Sir, please co-operate with us. Sir, calm down and co-operate with us.”

He continued putting up a fight with the officers until he was placed in the SUV.

Next was a middle-aged woman.

She screamed and two women officers were seen bringing her out to the bus.

The others seemed to co-operate and entered the bus to be taken to the airport.

Police sirens were then turned on and they sped to the old terminal of the Piarco International Airport. There they were placed aboard the small unmarked jet and flown out for their return to Canada.

The Sunday Express learnt that the Canadian law enforcement officials have no jurisdiction in Trinidad and Tobago and so were not allowed to leave the aircraft.

Instead the handover of the Lev Tahor members took place on the aircraft itself.

“It was a highly sensitive operation,” a senior officer attached to the National Operations Centre (NOC) told the Sunday Express.

Lev Tahor spokesman Avrohom Dinkel, 22, the only member who can speak English and the only Canadian citizen in the group, in a TV6 interview last Thursday claimed that the allegations against the sect in Canada were false and “anti-Semitic”.

A report by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) yesterday stated that while Trinidad had detained some members, other members of the families who connected to Guatemala through the Mexico City airport on an earlier flight made it to their final destination.

The decision to escort the group back to Canada, yesterday followed a series of high level meetings with officials from the Ministry of National Security and their Canadian counterparts as recently as Friday night, when plans were finalised to have the Jewish members returned to Toronto, Canada, their point of origin.

Last Monday, the group consisting of six children and three adults arrived at Piarco at 5 p.m. on board a WestJet flight, intransit to Guatemala, but members were detained and subsequently denied travel to Guatemala.

When Immigration officials interviewed the members “inconsistencies in their responses” were discovered according to a statement from the Ministry of National Security.

The group subsequently employed the services of local attorney Farah Hove Masai, who began advocating their concerns with the airline and Immigration authorities and appealed the immigration rejection order.

The members refused all efforts to return them to Canada.

Last Wednesday, Masai filed an application for habeas corpus, but on Thursday Justice Vashiest Kokaram heard the application on an “emergency basis” and dismissed it, clearing the way for the Lev Tahor members to be sent back. See Page 7.

Jewish group returned to Canada. By Nalinee Seelal | T&T Newsday | Sunday, March 9 2014

Nine members of the Lev Tahor Hasidic Jewish group who were denied entry into Trinidad and Tobago on Carnival Monday were yesterday forcibly removed from their hotel room at the Piarco International hotel and returned to Canada.

Reports are that shortly after 5 pm yesterday, heavily armed police officers took the three adults and six children, kicking and screaming, into marked police vehicles to the airport. At about 6 pm, an aircraft from the Turks and Caicos Islands arrived at the airport, and the nine members were escorted to the aircraft. At 6:30 pm, they were on their way to Canada on board the aircraft.

On their arrival in Canada, sources said the children will be taken into the custody of Social Services.

The group has stayed at the airport from the time they arrived here till Wednesday, finally being persuaded to book into the Piarco International Airport on Thursday. Group leader Avraham Dinkel has said that the group was en route to Guatemala.

Jews appeal order: under lockdown. Lawyer claims group being mistreated by authorities.

By Joel Julien | Trinidad Express Newspapers | Mar 7, 2014 at 9:33 PM.

ATTORNEYS representing the nine members of an orthodox Hasidic Jewish group, who were denied travel to Guatemala when they entered Trinidad and Tobago on Monday, have appealed their Immigration rejection order.

The group are currently staying at the Piarco International Hotel, which is under hea­vy security, while they await a decision on the appeal.

The front door to the hotel has been locked.

Persons arriving at the ho­tel are questioned by security.

Attorney General Anand Ram­logan yesterday confirmed the appeal and expressed confidence the Chief Immigration Officer would deal with the matter “expeditiously”.

Ramlogan however expressed “extreme concern” a child protection order is currently being breached in the matter.

On Monday, around 5 a.m., nine members of Lev Tahor arrived in Trinidad on board a WestJet flight.

The group, consisting of six children and three adults, were in transit to Guatemala, through Trinidad and Tobago, from Toronto, Canada, when they arrived at Piarco International Airport.

When Immigration officials interviewed the group, “inconsistencies in their responses” were discovered.

The group was rejected and advised of their inability to travel to Guatemala.

They refused to return to Can­ada.

Local attorney Farai Hove Masaisai, who specialises in immigration cases, was contacted on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, Masaisai filed an application for habeas corpus.

Justice Vashiest Kokaram heard the application on an “emergency basis” on Thursday and dismissed the application.

Speaking to the Express yesterday, Masaisai said while he was not successful in the application before Kokaram, the situation turned out favourable as he was able to meet with his clients.

Masaisai said Avrohom Din­kel, the group’s spokesman, expressed pleasure in being able to see him.

Dinkel, 22, is the only member of the group who speaks English fluently.

He is the only Canadian citizen among the group.

The other members of the group speak Yiddish.

The group has slammed the actions of this country’s Immigration.

“We all cry out to the public in Trinidad and Tobago not to give a hand for religious persecution against innocent girls, boys, mothers and fathers,” correspondence from a member of Lev Tahor stated.

In an interview on Thursday night with TV6 reporter Mark Bassant, Dinkel said the actions by local authorities are political and religious persecution because this country does not want to affect its relationship with Canada.

He claimed the group is not receiving the proper food nor the proper equipment to prepare food, especially as it prepares to observe the Sabbath (on Saturday).

“The authorities are purposely trying to break our morale to make us go back to Canada,” he said.

Dinkle said allegations against the group (in Canada) are false and “anti-Semitic” and people have an agenda, adding “a lot going on behind the scenes” was not being reported in the Canadian media.

Masaisai said the group was only shown the rejection order on Thursday night, during his visit to the Piarco Internation­al Hotel.

Masaisai yesterday said this was the longest he has ever seen a situation like this take to be resolved.

The situation has “spiralled out of control”, Masaisai said.

He yesterday called on due process to be taken, with the utmost urgency.

Masaisai served a notice of appeal to the Lev Tahor rejection order to the Chief Immigration Officer yesterday mor­ning.

Because the appeal has been lodged, the Lev Tahor nine cannot be deported without a special enquiry being held first.

Ramlogan expressed confidence the matter will be dealt with “expeditiously”, adding the Chief Immigration Officer has sought legal advice on the matter.

“The group is being treated well and we are ensuring they are treated in a humane and decent manner, pending the determination of the appeal,” Ram­logan said.

Ramlogan said the Central Authority Unit has been liai­sing with its counterpart in Canada and has been advised the children are the subject of a child protection order in the province of Quebec in Canada.

The order awarded custody of the children to the Department of Child Protection in Que­bec.

That decision was appealed.

The Court of Appeal of Ontario yesterday dismissed the appeal and confirmed the court order.

Ramlogan said the allegations are quite serious and the welfare of the children is of “paramount importance”.

Anand: We moved to avoid any diplomatic jeopardy with Canada. Jewish group detained at Piarco.

By Anna Ramdass  | Trinidad Express Newspapers | Mar 8, 2014 at 9:32 PM.

Attorney General Anand Ramlogan said yesterday this country had to move to ensure that members of the Jewish group Lev Tahor returned to Canada because there could have been possible diplomatic jeopardy between this country and Canada.

“This was a serious and urgent matter because it involved the children and the breach of a child protection order issued by a court of competent jurisdiction in the province of Quebec. That order was based on serious concerns about the conditions under which these children were being kept and hence custody was vested in the Canadian Child Protection Agency,” said Ramlogan.

The group had appealed that decision and fled to Guatemala via Trinidad before the Ontario Court of Appeal could deliver its ruling.

Ramlogan said that ruling was given on Thursday while the group was here in Trinidad and it went against the Lev Tahor members.

He said it appeared that the group was trying to evade the jurisdiction order and authority of the Canadian court.

“There was no legal justification or legal basis upon which they could be allowed to remain in Trinidad. The welfare of the children is the foremost consideration and remained of paramount importance and the child protection agency in Quebec is the most suitable entity to care for them,” said Ramlogan.

Ramlogan said at least one other family was able to make it to Guatemala via Mexico and they might have escaped the court order.

Talks ongoing on Jewish group. By Nalinee Seelal | T&T Newsday | Saturday, March 8 2014.

Talks ongoing on Jewish group.

By NALINEE SEELAL Saturday, March 8 2014

LOCAL immigration authorities were up until late yesterday liaising with the Canadian Government with respect to making a decision on what to do with nine members of the Lev Tahor Hasidic Jewish religious group, who were denied entry into this country on Carnival Monday night, after they failed to properly answer questions asked by Immigration Officers at Piarco International Airport.

The nine persons are currently staying in a room at the airport and have refused to be interviewed by local and international media. Yesterday, National Security Minister Gary Griffith told Newsday that discussions to have the group returned to Canada were ongoing and he hopes a decision would be made shortly.

Newsday understands that officers from the National Operations Centre (NOC) have been in close contact with the nine and have been trying to coax them to return to Quebec, Canada.

However group members remain adamant that their final destination is Guatemala and have no desire to return to Canada.

On Wednesday, local lawyers representing the group, whose nationalities are American, Canadian and Israeli, sought a writ of habeas corpus but this was denied by Justice Vasheist Kokaram on Thursday, following a court hearing at the Hall of Justice, Port-of-Spain.

As previously reported by Newsday, the judge noted the writ contained several procedural defects. He expressed concern that the group which contained six minors, ranging from the age of nine to 16 years, none of whom appeared to speak English and that no evidence was provided as to their link to the three adults who were also rejected entry into this country.

Kokaram had also questioned the group’s purpose for leaving Canada for Guatemala.

“What is troubling is that there are no details regarding the legitimacy of their travel. No nexus between the adults and the children. Why are they here in the first place?” he asked, before dismissing the application.

Jewish sect members appeal deportation. By Geisha Kowlessar | Guardian Media | Saturday, March 8, 2014.

Members of the controversial Orthodox Jewish sect Lev Tahor have appealed an order by the T&T Government to have them deported back to Canada. In confirming this yesterday, Attorney General Anand Ramlogan said the group made the appeal to Chief Immigration Officer Gerry Downes in accordance with Section 21 (2) of the Immigration Act.

“This is an interesting and important development and I have no doubt the chief immigration officer would deal with the matter expeditiously to challenge this decision and to have them return to Canada,” Ramlogan said. On when a decision would be made by Downes, Ramlogan said that was up to Downes, but said he expected a decision within the shortest possible time.

The group, three adults and six children, arrived at the Piarco Airport on Monday. The remained under protective custody at the Piarco Hotel up to yesterday, with officials not allowing them free access to the outside world. Ramlogan said the children were the subject of a child protection order in the province of Quebec and the Government was liaising with its Canadian counterparts to facilitate their swift return.

“We have been liaising with the Canadian authorities through the Central Authority and the Civil Child Abduction Authority in the Office of the Attorney General with a view to have the group returned to Canada.” There is a child protection order issued by a competent court in Quebec with regard to the custody, care and control of the children which appeared to have been violated, he said. “And therefore we are committed to ensuring the rule of law is upheld,” Ramlogan said.

He said National Security Minister Gary Griffith was doing all that was possible to ensure the group is comfortable and properly taken care of while in Trinidad. The group has requested passage to Guatemala, and immigration officials said they believed they ended up in Trinidad by mistake because they missed their flight to Mexico.

A report in the Toronto Star said members of the sect have been under investigation by Quebec police and child protection authorities for years. It added child protection authorities had documented what they said was evidence of physical abuse, poor mental and physical health and a substandard education regime. The sect has denied all allegations of abuse.

LEV TAHOR TALKS. [VIDEO] Trinidad Express Newspapers | Mar 7, 2014 at 10:48 PM

The nine members of the controversial ultra-Orthodox jewish Sect Lev Tahor remain grounded in Trinidad after losing their high court case in court on Thursday. Last night TV 6 news went to where the group was staying and captured images of them at the Piarco International Hotel.

We spoke exclusively with one of the members of the group who is adamant that they will not return to Canada.

2014/03/06 - Trinidad and Tobago - The Corporate Communications Unit of the Ministry of National Security, Trinidad and Tobago, published the following media release. "The Hasidic Jewish Group was rejected entry into Trinidad and not allowed to travel onto their port of destination Guatemala. They were in-bound out of Canada. The group consists of 3 adults and 6 children. The authorities in Trinidad and Tobago are presently liaising directly with the authorities in Canada via the international liaison officers of the Canadian High Commission. The Trinidad and Tobago authorities are awaiting further information from Canada which will determine the decision regarding the departure and final destination of the group. At present the group has as part of international protocol, been handed over to the care and management of the West Jet International representatives and are being accommodated in a hotel of their choice. The Ministry would like to categorically deny any claims of ill- treatment of the Lev Tahor group." SOURCE

‘They will be sent back to Canada.’ By Joel Julien  | Trinidad Express Newspapers | Mar 6, 2014 at 9:23 PM ECT Story | Updated: Mar 7, 2014 at 1:47 PM ECT

THE NINE members of the “orthodox Hasidic Jewish group” Lev Tahor who were denied travel to Guatemala when they entered Trinidad and Tobago on Monday will be sent back to Canada, a release from the Office of the Attorney General has stated.

National Security Minister Gary Griffith yesterday defended the actions of this country’s Immigration officials in dealing with the nine Lev Tahor members.

On Monday around 5 a.m., the Lev Tahor members arrived in Trinidad on board a WestJet flight in transit to Guatemala through Trinidad and Tobago from Toronto, Canada, .

Speaking to the Express on the situation on Wednesday, director of the National Operation Centre, Commander Garvin Heerah , said when group members were interviewed by Immigration officials, “inconsistencies in their responses” were discovered.

“As a consequence and in adherence to international immigration protocols the group was rejected and advised of their inability to travel on to Guatemala,” he said.

The action of the Immigration officials was, however, condemned by attorney Farai Hove Masaisai who represented the group.

On Wednesday, Masaisai wrote to Griffith, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, the Chief Immigration Officer, the United Nations and Amnesty International on the situation.

Masaisai said when he contacted Immigration officials to determine the whereabouts of the Lev Tahor nine he was told no one was there.

“In an effort to ascertain the truth I then took the decision to personally visit the Piarco International Airport and it was with my own eyes the conditions in which the above mentioned individuals were kept in was witnessed,” Masaisai stated in his letter.

He said he saw “weary children and adults who had not eaten or been allowed to bathe”.

“They were sitting in the cold airport and in a strange country with no one there to render any form of assistance,” he stated.

“I was told of incidents where they were threatened by Immigration officers and they were fearful for their safety here in Trinidad. The manner in which they were treated personally brought me to a fundamental low and made me heavily embarrassed and ashamed to call myself a Trinidadian,” Masaisai stated.

The matter was yesterday heard at the Port of Spain High Court before Justice Vashiest Kokaram where an application for habeas corpus was filed and which was dismissed by the judge.

The application was filed on Wednesday and heard on an “emergency basis” yesterday.

“At present, all members of the group are under the care and custody of WestJet authorities pending their return to Canada,” the release for the Attorney General’s office stated yesterday.

Ramlogan defended the decision of the Chief Immigration Officer and his charges in this matter.

“The Central Authority Unit has been liaising with its counterpart in Canada and has been advised that the children are subject of a Child Protection Order in the province of Quebec in Canada,” the release stated.

“This order awarded custody of the children to the Department of Child Protection in Quebec. That decision was appealed and the Court of Appeal of Ontario (yesterday) dismissed the appeal thereby confirming the custody order,” the release stated.

“It would therefore appear that the adults fled to Trinidad whilst their appeal was pending,” the release stated.

Griffith has also added his voice to the commendation of the Immigration officials in the matter.

“What I can assure you is that the Immigration Department was very professional in the performance of their duties. They discovered inconsistencies and it is confirmed that all that was required were offered to the individuals,” Griffith said at yesterday’s post-Cabinet media conference.

No release for Jews. Detained sect fleeing to Guatemala.  By Rickie Ramdass  | Trinidad Express Newspapers | Mar 6, 2014 at 9:24 PM ECT | Updated: Mar 7, 2014 at 1:47 PM ECT

AN application for a habeas corpus writ to have nine members of a Canadian ultra-Orthodox Jewish sect released from detention in Trinidad and Tobago was yesterday dismissed by a High Court judge in Port of Spain.

Attorneys seeking the interest of the group’s members, which included six children, were denied the writ by Justice Vashiest Kokaram at the Hall of Justice, after the judge said there were a number of procedural defects in the application.

On Monday, the Lev Tahor sect members were detained at Piarco International Airport while en route to Guatemala. International reports state they fled Canada in November of last year.

Several members of the religious group were scheduled to appear before a court in Chatam-Kent, Canada, on Wednesday when a decision was expected to be made concerning whether 14 Lev Tahor children were to be returned to Quebec and placed in foster care.

The application for the habeas corpus writ was filed at the High Court on Wednesday evening.

Those being detained are Ester Hayon, 50; Azar Hayon, 59; Avrohom Dinkel, 22; Yeshivia Hayon, 15; Tehila Hayon, 13; Yehodit Nechama Soleimani, 16; Mariam Soleimani, 15; Shira Hayon, 11; and Moshe Yochanan, nine.

During yesterday’s hearing, attorney Farai Hove Masaisai, who along with Edvardo Martinez are representing the sect members, argued that their clients were being detained in unsanitary conditions, and were only allowed food on Tuesday night.

Martinez submitted that their detention at Piarco International Hotel was unlawful as they had not been charged with any criminal offence.

However, Justice Kokaram, in making his ruling, said evidence in the application was lacking. He said in Masaisai’s affidavit, the attorney pointed out that his clients were being kept in less than humane conditions, but there was nothing further in the affidavit to expand on this claim.

Kokaram also stated when a person is detained, to have a judge grant a habeas corpus writ, that person was required to prepare an affidavit and have it presented to the court.

In this instance, the judge said there was no evidence the attorneys were deprived access to their clients to have the affidavits prepared.

Also, with the involvement of children in the present case, the judge said their voices have to be heard as they needed to be protected.

“There is also nothing in the affidavit stating their purpose for being here. Were they touring? Before we ask why they are being detained, the question should be why are they here in the first place,” said Kokaram.

Attorneys Paul Isaac and Sanjeev Lalla represented the Office of the Attorney General.

AG: Lev Tahor members to return to Canada. By Geisha Kowlessar | Guardian Media | Friday, March 7, 2014.

Attorney General Anand Ramlogan says nine members of the controversial Orthodox Jewish sect Lev Tahor, who arrived at the Piarco International Airport on Monday, will be returned to Canada. In an interview with the T&T Guardian, Ramlogan said the T&T Government has been liaising with the relevant authorities in Canada and he was of the firm view that the welfare of the children was paramount in the matter. Saying the children were the subject of a child protection order in the provence of Quebec, Ramlogan added, “We are liaising with our counterparts to facilitate their swift return.”

Meanwhile, spokesman for the group Lee Bolton, speaking to the T&T Guardian from Canada yesterday, said it was reported that around 5 pm yesterday, law enforcement agencies, including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Ontario Preventional Police, Chatham Kent Police, Peel Regional Police and the Canadian Border Police, were expected to board a flight to Trinidad to escort the group back to Canada. She said the court gave the child protection service in Ontario the green light to return the children from Trinidad on Wednesday. “The child protection service in Ontario was granted an order to apprehend the children. The decision was made yesterday (Wednesday) but it was only revealed today (yesterday). It is set to happen tomorrow (today).”

And amid allegations of physical beatings, sexual abuse, underage marriage and forced medication of the children of Lev Tahor, Bolton, a Canadian human rights activist, made a final appeal to the T&T Government not to deport the sect members. The nine—three adult members of the sect and six children— were detained at Piarco by immigration officers. One official said the sect members were en route to Mexico and had refused to go back to Toronto. They also tried to get passage to Guatemala. Bolton said she understood their passports had been seized.

Lev Tahor persecuted, says ally.

Bolton knocked the child protection system in Ontario, describing it as very intrusive and abusive to families and their children. Bolton, who is not Jewish and is not related to the Lev Tahor community, said, “Our child protection industry uses apprehension as a first option rather than try to keep the families together. It is my expert and educated opinion that the child protection industry in all of Canada is mainly about making money. “I have great concern if the children of the Lev Tahor should be sent back to Canada and the child protection agency is permitted to take these children into their care.” The Lev Tahor community relocated to Chatham, Ontario, from Quebec last November. Bolton said she and another advocates approached the community when they were having difficulty with the child protection workers. “It seemed right from the beginning that the Ontario and Quebec child protection agencies were on a mission to slander the Lev Tahor community by referring to them as ‘Taliban,’ ‘cult,’ and making several derogatory remarks and allegations concerning Rabbi Shlomo and other members of their community," Bolton said.

She said she spent several months with the community and some of the children and got to know some members quite well by spending time in their homes, office and around their school.

“I find the members of the Lev Tahor to be very kind and loving parents that only want what’s best for their children. The parents are not only affectionate with their own children, but help to look after other family members children when the need arises. “I personally have never witnessed or have any concerns of any type of abuse or neglect within this Lev Tahor community. As a matter of fact I wish every child in the world could experience some of the love, compassion, respect and care the children in the Lev Tahor Community are subjected to regularly,” Bolton said.

She added, “As much as I would like to have the entire Lev Tahor community back together in Chatham-Kent, it is my hope that doesn’t happen while they are still under the threat of having children apprehended by the child protection agency here and in Quebec.”

Sect loses initial battle to stop detention. Guardian Media | Friday, March 7, 2014.

High Court judge Vasheist Kokaram has thrown out a bid by members of Lev Tahor, an ultra-Orthodox Jewish sect, who are challenging their continued detention after being refused entry by immigration officials at the Piarco International Airport on Monday. In dismissing the lawsuit yesterday, Kokaram said the claim and evidence filed by the group’s local legal representative, Farai Masaisai, on Wednesday, were vague and filled with procedural deficits which caused them to fail. “Before we reach why they are being detained, we have to ask ourselves why they were here in the first place,” Kokaram said. Masaisai’s claim that he was not allowed to communicate properly with his clients at their hotel, which he said hampered his ability to obtain the necessary instructions and documents, was not supported by evidence, the judge said.

Despite their legal defeat, Kokaram told the group’s attorneys to return to their clients to obtain more detailed instructions before refiling the lawsuit. He also warned Chief Immigration Officer Keith Sampson, who was present in court, to tell his officers not to bar the attorneys’ meeting with the group. Kokaram also said there was no evidence presented which supported the group’s claim that they were being kept in inhumane conditions at the airport and at the Piarco International Hotel. Their only allegation on the issue, he noted, was that they were only taken to the hotel and given a meal more than 24 hours after being refused entry.

No evidence to support claim

He raised issue with Masaisai’s inability to immediately provide documentary evidence of the parental rights of six of the group’s members, who are between nine and 16. Because of the circumstances in the case and the possibility that the rights of minors and adults might be intertwined, he said, they might need separate attorneys. “We must ensure the minors are aware of what is happening. The court must be satisfied that the minors’ interests are being heard and protected,” Kokaram said. During the short hearing in the Port-of-Spain High Court, the group’s attorneys also contended that the procedure used in refusing the group entry was improper, as they only speak French but documents given to them were in English. Kokaram also rejected this submission because of a lack of evidence.

In response to the claim, lawyers from the office of the Solicitor General maintained the State did not have to justify the group’s detention, as they were not being kept by the State but rather by West Jet, the airline they arrived on and would be departing on. The State was represented by Paul Issac and Sanjeev Lalla. According to the limited evidence filed before Kokaram, four of the children and one of the adults have Israeli citizenship, two of the minors, both 16, are Americans and the other two adults are Canadian. Their attorneys confirmed they were en route to Guatemala when they were stopped by local immigration authorities.

Jewish sect refuses to leave. By Nalinee Seelal and Jada Loutoo | T&T Newsday | Friday, March 7 2014.

NINE members of the Lev Tahor Hasidic Jewish religious group led by Avraham Dinkel, who were rejected entry by Immigration officials on Monday night at the Piarco airport were yesterday coaxed to take up residency at the Piarco International Hotel until they could be returned to Canada.

Newsday understands that the group spent all of Monday night, Tuesday and Wednesday at Piarco International Airport after refusing to stay at a hotel of their choice until arrangements were made to have them returned to Canada.

According to sources, just before midday yesterday they booked a room at the Piarco International Hotel and asked that they not be disturbed by any media wanting to interview them. They also asked for full privacy until they could decide their next move.

Local lawyers representing the group sought a writ of habeas corpus on Wednesday which was was denied by Justice Vasheist Kokaram yesterday following a court hearing at the Hall of Justice, Port-of-Spain.

Kokaram noted the writ filed contained several procedural defects. He expressed concern that the group contained six minors, ranging from the ages of nine and a half to 16 years, none of whom appeared to speak English and no evidence was provided as to their link to the three adults who were also rejected entry into this country.

The judge also questioned the group’s purpose for leaving Canada for Guatemala. “What is troubling is that there are no details regarding the legitimacy of their travel. No nexus between the adults and the children. Why are they here in the first place?” he asked, before dismissing the application.

The nine — whose nationalities are American, Canadian and Israeli — were represented by Paul Issac and Sanjeev Lalla while Eduardo Martinez and Farai Masaisai. Newsday was told officers of the National Operations Centre (NOC) have been liasing with the group to coax them into boarding a flight to Canada, but members of the group continue to refuse the offer. The group who were questioned on Monday by Immigration authorities on their arrival to this country following their applications for admission, whilst in transit to Guatemala out Port of Origin, Toronto, Canada.

Their stated intent was to continue on to Guatemala. They claimed that their original flight to Mexico from Toronto did not occur, and were advised by a friend of Dinkel to travel to Trinidad, en route to Guatemala.

Dinkel , an elder of Moroccan extraction and a US citizen were subsequently interviewed by Immigration authorities and questioned in a friendly and courteous manner, relative to their intent, purpose and reasons for leaving Canada and coming to Trinidad, well placed sources revealed.

Dinkel proved to be very evasive and in control of the group and their spokesperson, even though there were others who spoke English, a source said yesterday. Dinkel was insistent that he and the group did not want to return to Canada. He stated that they were being persecuted in Canada and were bombarded by media hounding.

A source added that every effort was made in a most humane and dignified manner to facilitate their stay, and the airline representatives and Immigration authorities allowed approval for the group to stay at a hotel of their choice, pending a decision pertaining to their departure. “They refused to leave the airport unless they had their passports, which remained in the possession of Immigration authorities, as a standing protocol in matters of this nature,” the source added.

Dinkel and followers retained an attorney from Hove and Associates (Port-of-Spain) Farah Masai, to represent them in this matter at the airport. Sources also revealed that at no point did they declare that they were under investigations and the subject of Canadian interest by legal authorities, even though extensive questions were posed to them, they denied all.

They were also advised and cautioned on the international obligations of the Government of TT by the Immigration authorities, and specifically on the Conventions on the Rights of the Child. The group despite all efforts from the Trinidad and Tobago authorities and the West Jet representatives to accommodate and ensure their safety prior to them returning to Canada, has continued to refuse the offers.

Last November members of the group fled to a town near Windsor, Ontario, Montreal’s CBC news reported. The report said two families were scheduled to appear in a Chatham-Kernt, Ontario court to learn the results of their appeal of an earlier court judgment that 14 children from the sect must be returned to Quebec and placed in foster care.

Commenting on the matter yesterday at the post-Cabinet news conference, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar said: “I have not had sight of the letter (filed by the group’s lawyer) but I am aware of part of the incidents. The Minister (Gary Griffith) will answer with respect to the immigration and so on.

“As far as I know, the lawyers have filed what is known as a habeas corpus. If the matter is before the court, the matter is subjudice. It will not be prudent for us to comment yay or nea on the matter, as the matter is pending in court. Persad-Bissessar advised National Security Minister Gary Griffith, who was sitting close by to “exercise caution” in his response. Griffith said: “It is quite obvious we can’t say much more.

What I can assure you is that the Immigration Department was very professional in the performance of their duties.” He added that Government is currently liasing with the Canadian authorities on the matter.

Jewish sect blocked at Piarco. By Geisha Kowlessar | Guardian Media | Thursday, March 6, 2014.

Nine members of Lev Tahor, an ultra-Orthodox Jewish sect from Quebec in Canada, who were detained on Monday at Piarco Airport were expected to be deported back to Canada. Last November the members fled to a town near Windsor, Ontario, Montreal’s CBC news reported. The report said two families were scheduled to appear in a Chatham-Kent, Ontario court yesterday to learn the results of their appeal of an earlier court judgment that 14 children from the sect must be returned to Quebec and placed in foster care.

Last month, an Ontario judge upheld a Quebec ruling ordering the children in the Lev Tahor sect to be surrendered to child welfare authorities. After being denied an appeal by a Quebec court, the group requested an appeal to an Ontario court.

This came after the Quebec and Ontario provincial police forces raided the Lev Tahor homes in Chatham, it was reported. Quebec’s Youth Protection Services alleged that the children living in the sect were medicated with melatonin to control their behaviour, could not do basic maths and were married off as young as 14. A report in the Toronto Sun said the group—three adults and six children—were intercepted and detained in T&T while trying to catch a flight to Mexico.

An immigration official was quoted as saying the group ended up in T&T because they had missed their connecting flight. The official said it was by coincidence they were detained, because local immigration authorities were unaware of what was going on in Canada. In a press release issued from the National Security Ministry last night it said the group came to T&T via a West Jet flight and was interviewed by immigration authorities who discovered inconsistencies in their responses.

They were then told by immigration officers that they could not to travel on to Guatemala. “The group subsequently employed the services of a local attorney, Mr Farah Masai, who began advocating their concerns with the airline and immigration authorities. “All measures of attempts to accommodate the group at a hotel of their choice and to also ensure that they were properly attended to were refused by the religious group,” the release added.

Members of Jewish sect staying at Piarco...denied travel to Guatemala.  By Joel Julien | Trinidad Express Newspapers | Mar 5, 2014 at 11:40 PM | Updated: Mar 6, 2014 at 9:26 AM.

NINE members of “an orthodox Hasidic Jewish group” from Canada, known as Lev Tahor, are currently staying at Piarco International Airport after being denied travel to Guatemala in an alleged attempt to flee their country.

The six adults and three children were prevented from travelling to Guatemala days before members of the religious group were scheduled to appear before a court in Chatam-Kent, Canada, where a decision was expected to be made concerning whether 14 Lev Tahor children were to be returned to Quebec and placed in foster care. There has been no confirmation whether the three Lev Tahor children in Trinidad are connected to that court matter.

Director of the National Operations Centre Commander Garvin Heerah yesterday confirmed the situation.

Heerah said members of “an orthodox Hasidic Jewish group” were intransit to Guatemala through Trinidad and Tobago from Toronto, Canada, when they arrived at Piarco on Monday. The group was on board a WestJet flight.

Heerah said when the group was interviewed by immigration officials, “inconsistencies in their responses” were discovered.

“As a consequence and in adherence to international immigration protocols the group was rejected and advised of their inability to travel on to Guatemala,” he said.

“The group subsequently employed the services of a local attorney, Mr Farah Masai, who began advocating their concerns with the airline and immigration authorities.”

Heerah said the group was presented with the option to stay at a hotel of their choice, but this offer was turned down.

“All measures of attempts to accommodate the group at a hotel of their choice and to also ensure that they were properly attended to were refused by the religious group.”

Heerah said the Lev Tahor spokesman, Avraham Dinkel, has continued to negotiate with local authorities to travel on to Guatemala and not return to Canada.

“However, due to ongoing international investigations via the Canadian authorities, the immigration services have been advised to pursue the decision to have the group return to their port of origin at Toronto, Canada.”

Heerah said the nine are “not detained” at Piarco and neither are they deemed “fugitives”.

According to a report from the Toronto Sun yesterday, “the Jewish sect, distinguished by its conservative dress, fled Quebec in the dead of night last November, amid allegations—not proven in court—of child neglect and abuse, including of arranged marriages of children as young as 14”.

“The group denies the allegations,” the Toronto Sun stated.

“A Chatham judge chastised the group for its hasty exodus when he upheld the Quebec court order recently, but set it aside for 30 days to allow the group to appeal. Lev Tahor recently appealed the Quebec child-seizure order back in that province, and lost,” the Toronto Sun’s report stated. “The order is to take the children into temporary foster care for assessment.”

The Toronto Sun stated “all the affected kids of a Quebec Jewish sect that fled to Ontario, trying to avoid an investigation that led to an order to seize the 13 children, have left the country, a group member said Wednesday”.