(Trinidad Express) Seventeen men detained by police in connection with an alleged plot to assassinate Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and three Government ministers will likely be released without charge as time runs out on investigators.
The State has until midnight, when the State of Emergency ends, to either charge the detainees or release them.
Sixteen of the detainees were served with detention orders signed by National Security Minister Brig John Sandy last week. The life of those orders will expire with the end of the State of Emergency.
The 17th suspect remained in custody at the Belmont Police Station up to last night.
Yesterday, reliable and confidential sources close to the investigation told the Express that they did not have sufficient evidence to charge the 17 detainees with any offences and they may be released later today.
One investigative source said even though the police have information linking some of the detainees to certain conversations, they did not have evidence to support the information that could lead to criminal charges.
Investigators, responding to criticisms that they moved too soon to arrest the men, said the arrests had in effect prevented any potential harm from being done.
Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley on Friday accused the Government of blowing the situation out of proportion and demanded that the detained men be immediately released.
Rowley disclosed that he had a copy of a security evaluation of the intelligence report which detailed the alleged assassination plot.
He said the document noted that no leaders were identified in the plot, and no linkage was established between the two groups who were supposed to be acting in concert to kill the PM and destabilise the country.
The security evaluation, a copy of which was received by the Sunday Express, dated November 23, stated the “chronological sequence of events was inconsistent”.
Contacted yesterday on reports that the detainees are expected to be released because of no evidence to charge them, Attorney General Anand Ramlogan said he was not aware of such and the rule of law should take its course.
Ramlogan added if there is insufficient evidence against the men then they should be freed.
He said: “I have no reports (on that) but that will be a matter for the police. The police procedures will be that the police will confer and consult with the DPP in these matters in accordance with the usual and established procedures.
“The Government does not have a role to play in such matters as the police are mandated by law to investigate and the DPP to prosecute,” he said.
“The rule of law must be respected and if there is insufficient evidence and charges cannot be laid (against he detainees) they must be freed and this is a matter for the judgment of the police and the DPP,” Ramlogan added.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Mervyn Richardson, who has been spearheading the investigations, said he could not say for certain that the men will be released later today.
He said, “At this time I cannot say that now because I know what is happening at another front. I just got two telephone calls and I can’t say that. But we continue to investigate as we speak. It’s engaging the attention of a lot of people right now.”
“If they are released, that isn’t the end of the investigation and it doesn’t mean that we cannot lay charges against anyone and at the appropriate time it will be done,” Richardson said.
Director of Public Prosecutions Roger Gaspard maintained yesterday that the police investigating the alleged terror plot had not consulted him at any point in respect of filing any criminal charges.
A team of attorneys has been hired by the Government to advise the police in relation to the investigation and draft the detention orders.
Persad-Bissessar, speaking to reporters at the Executive Jet Centre of the Southern Terminal, Piarco after her return from Venezuela on Saturday said, should the police decide not to charge the detainees, the Government would observe and respect the rule of law.
The PM had attended the plenary session of the inaugural Community of Latin American and Caribbean States Summit (CELAC) in Caracas, Venezuela.