THE Islamic Council of Jamaica, which represents some 4,500 practising Muslims across the island, has distanced itself from Sheikh Abdullah al-Faisal who is to be deported to Jamaica following his arrest in Kenya recently.

Council president Mustafa Muhammad said that local Muslims were concerned after hearing the news that Kenyan anti-terrorism investigators last week arrested al-Faisal for allegedly preaching in mosques, which violated the conditions of his tourist visa.

“We are concerned about the negative press that could follow him [al-Faisal],” Muhammad told the Observer.

The president said it also did not help that the cleric was coming from Africa, the continent from which Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab hailed. Abdulmutallab, a Nigerian, has been charged with attempting to blow up a US passenger jet on Christmas Day.

“Any Muslim community right now across the world could do without any unnecessary negative press coverage, especially with what is happening right now,” said Muhammad.

Al-Faisal was deported to Jamaica in 2007, after spending three-and-a-half years in a British prison following his conviction of incitement to murder and stirring racial hatred by urging followers to kill Hindus, Jews and Americans.

Yesterday, Muhammad said soon after al-Faisal was deported to Jamaica, he was invited to a meeting with the council as they wanted to hear what were his plans.

But he said many of the cleric’s views were not supported by the council. He said the council lost contact with al-Faisal following the meeting.