Home Affairs Minister, Ronald Gajraj says that there was no barrier to Adnan El Shukrijumah - now an al Qaeda suspect - being issued a passport by the Guyana government at the time this occurred.
Shukrijumah's 73-year old father, Gulshair, is a Guyanese who has lived in Saudi Arabia and now lives in Florida. He last spoke to his son, he said, five months ago who told him that he was teaching English in Morocco.
The US Federal Bureau of Investigation last month issued an alert seeking assistance in tracing El Shukrijumah who it claims is suspected of having al Qaeda links.
Gajraj told Stabroek News recently that even if a police check had revealed a criminal record, El Shukrijumah would have still been issued with a passport though the courtesies extended to him would have been less than those extended to a citizen without a record.
Gajraj's comments were made in response to questions from the Stabroek News about any changes to the procedures for issuing passports by Guyana overseas missions that would be made as a result of the revelations about Shukrijumah's activities.
Informed sources have told Stabroek News that applications by persons who have never held a Guyanese passport are routinely referred to the Immigration Department for advice and guidance. Last week the Police confirmed the issue of a Guyanese passport to El Shukrijumah and a number of his relatives.