Busted: Foreigner arrested from Faisal Mosque

Brazilian national was trying to obstruct prayers.

ISLAMABAD:

The capital police arrested a foreign national from the compound of Faisal Mosque during the Friday congregation for allegedly disrupting prayers. Moreto Cubek Rebieo, a Brazilian national, was arrested by the security in-charge of the mosque when he interjected the prayer by abruptly raising slogans ‘Long Live Christianity’ and ‘Long Live Mariam’.

The secuirty official took him into custody. On inquiry, the police found the man to be suspicious clad in shalwar kameez and present inside the compound at the time of prayers. He was shifted to the Margalla police for further investigation. Police also intimated the Bazilian High Commission about the arrest and requested them for more details about him.

Police suspected the man was mentally unstable; however, they kept probing him for more details. Rebieo was carrying a hand bag containing his travel documents including a passport with valid visa.

It was found that he had arrived in Rawalpindi a month ago and was living in Pearl Continental Hotel since then. Police were not certain about the purpose of his visit. Rebieo told the police that he had come to Pakistan for preaching Christianity.

Suspecting him to be psychotic, the police were reluctant to believe his account. They interrogated him to ascertain his real motives for his visit to Pakistan.

He told the police that Jesus Christ had met him in his dream and ordered him to go for preaching Christianity. He was also instructed to go to Pakistan for the purpose, Rebieo told the police.

He had been kept at a lock-up in the Margalla police station; however no case was registered against him till the filing of this report. Police had sought legal advice on the nature of charges that could be framed against him under the law of the land.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 14^th, 2011.