A man who participated in a 1990 coup attempt in Trinidad and Tobago was sentenced Thursday to more than 12 years in federal prison for trying to smuggle dozens of high-powered weapons,, federal prosecutors said.
By Akilah JohnsonIn May, a jury found Clive Lancelot Small guilty of conspiracy to possess firearms, possession of machine guns and possession of firearm silencers. U.S. District Judge William Dimitrouleas sentenced Small, of Trinidad and Tobago, on Thursday.
Small, a member of the Jamaat al Muslimeen group, tried to ship 60 AK-47 rifles, 10 submachine guns and 10 machine gun silencers to Trinidad in furniture containers, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.
Federal agents broke up the gun-smuggling plot in 2001 with the arrest of Keith Andre Glaude. Glaude allegedly tried to purchase guns from undercover agents in Fort Lauderdale for Small.
Small was indicted in 2002, arrested in Trinidad in March 2004 and extradited in November of that year. Glaude was sentenced to two years in prison
Attempts to reach Small's attorney by phone Thursday were unsuccessful, but Small, also known as Olive Small or Olive Enyahooma-El, has denied the charges. He pleaded not guilty in December.
While it was unclear what the guns would have been used for, both Small and Glaude were members of the black Muslim group that attempted to overthrow the Trinidad and Tobago government in 1990.
Jamatt members bombed police headquarters, stormed Parliament and took hostage the prime minister and Cabinet. Clashes, mostly between police and looting mobs, left dozens dead and hundreds wounded. The rebels eventually surrendered and were later pardoned.
A photo of Small holding a rifle when he surrendered to police in 1990 was submitted at trial. Jamatt's leader, Yasin Abu Bakr, could not be reached for comment despite attempts by phone.
