PORT OF SPAIN Muslims groups in Trinidad and Tobago have demanded an apology from police after they questioned and searched a visiting Saudi diplomat who was processing visas for the Hajj pilgrimage.

Police said they questioned Fawaz Abdul Rahman Alshubaili and searched his hotel room after receiving information suggesting he posed a national security threat.

Alshubaili, who arrived in the twin-island nation on Sunday, was reportedly distributing visas to Trinidadians hoping to make the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia when police turned up at his hotel room.

'Four of five individuals, men, came to his room and told him they were looking for arms and ammunitions, and asked him to remove his shirt to conduct a search,' said Sheikh Munaf Mohammed, who coordinated Alshubailis visit.

'He told them he had a diplomatic passport and showed it to them but he told us it didnt seem to mean much to them,' he added.

Alshubaili cut short his trip on Tuesday and returned to Saudi Arabia, angry at what he said was an embarrassing and hurtful ordeal.

'He was very embarrassed, ashamed and hurt. He said he came to our country to help Trinidadians and make it easier for some 204 Muslims to attend the holy pilgrimage and this was the treatment he received from government,' Mohammed said.

Local Muslim societies expressed anger about the incident.

'If it had been a US or Canadian diplomat he would not have been treated in that manner,' Muslim leader Maulana Abdul Salam said.

He said the Muslim community would seek an apology from the police commissioner James Philbert.

Speaking to local media, Philbert defended police actions, saying his officers simply 'went to investigate a claim of someone handing out visas at the Hyatt (hotel).''This is not normal, so we as the police have the right to investigate such a claim,' he added. —AFP