(Trinidad Guardian) Security experts say the extradition of Brent Thomas from Barbados last October was unprecedented and could be classified as a rogue operation.
The comments came after Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley denied knowledge of the operation saying he first heard about it from the media.
A well-placed security source who requested anonymity told Guardian Media that as head of the National Security Council, the Prime Minister should have known about the extradition, especially since Minister Stuart Young confirmed that Thomas was brought back to Piarco by an aircraft assigned to the Regional Security Services (RSS), based in Barbados.
“Trinidad and Tobago is not a signatory to the RSS. The Caricom member states forming the RSS are Barbados, Antigua & Barbuda, Dominica, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, and St Vincent & the Grenadines. Therefore, for an RSS aircraft to be used, the Ministry of National Security must have requested this because an RSS aircraft cannot come into T&T’s sovereign space without permission,” the source explained.
“The Commissioner of Police does not have the authority to direct an RSS aircraft into our sovereign space. The Ministry of National Security must request this.”
The RSS has an air wing with two C26A aircraft which are used primarily for counter-drug operations and it is not usual for it to be used for such matters as Thomas’s extradition, the source further said.
“It is not the correct procedure for an RSS to be used for a matter like this. It is baffling that the Prime Minister did not know about it and if he did not know, we can assume that this was a rogue operation,” the official added.
Another security official said concerns have also been raised about whether the procedures were correct and whether Thomas was taken under duress or whether he was accompanied by anyone.
Another national security expert who also requested anonymity said usually commercial airlines are used for extradition matters.
“We are concerned about what level of professionalism was expressed during the time of Thomas’s alleged abduction out of Barbados.”
Asked what is the usual procedure, the security expert said, “ What has happened before is that people have been arrested based on information sharing and they were brought back with an escort via the commercial airlines. That authorisation has to come from Foreign Affairs and National Security.
“Sending an aircraft for someone is something I have never heard of. When you are moving away from what is normal procedure there is cause for concern for law-abiding citizens,” the source added.
Meanwhile, attorney Om Lalla said the alleged abduction of Thomas was of grave concern as the procedures used were a violation of the Extradition (Commonwealth and External Territories) Act Chapter 12:04.
“The judgment demonstrates that clearly there was wrongdoing by the police. The extraction of Thomas did not follow the normal procedures. There is a legal procedure to be applied for every sovereign nation. The explanations by the Prime Minister and the Ministry fall short of providing any proper explanation or defence for this serious act. The Commissioner of Police has not explained what legal procedures were used. This violates the rule of law,” Lalla said.
“There is no indication of any communication or formal request to the authorities in Barbados which will require a court order to extradite Thomas back to Trinidad. There is no legal procedure that has been identified and it is important for the Commissioner of Police to come out and say what legal procedure was followed,” the attorney contended.
He said Caricom has to examine this matter and develop policies to prevent it from happening again.
“This is now a serious regional issue and I am anxious to hear what the Bajan Commissioner of Police and the Bajan Attorney General has to say on the matter. Caricom has to assess whether this is a practice that will be condoned. Caricom should set a framework of guidelines rather than allow this illegal act to be endorsed and encouraged,” he explained.
Lalla also said the way Thomas was extradited was unprecedented.
“This is a case that affects every citizen,” he said, adding he was happy to see the Police Complaints Authority taking up the matter as “there is rampant police abuse taking place in T&T.”
Former national security minister and police commissioner Gary Griffith also corroborated the information given by security experts saying it was unbelievable that an RSS aircraft could land in T&T, without the knowledge of the Prime Minister.
Griffith said Thomas was one of several firearm dealers who have been targeted by the government. He said the extradition was part of a wider plot to prosecute Griffith for standing up to the Government as it pursued a witchhunt against political opponents.
Guardian Media sent messages to Errington Shurland, executive director of the RSS asking about the procedures but there was no response. Thomas also did not respond to questions.
On Thursday, a day before he left T&T to play golf in Barbados, Dr Rowley held a press conference denying any knowledge of Thomas’s extradition.