The Downtown Owners and Merchants Association (Doma) is seriously concerned about the claims being made by a State witness which allege that terrorist training and activities have been planned in an attempt to derail the Government and compromise the safety and security of the country and its citizens.
In an interview yesterday, the association’s president, Gregory Aboud, addressed questions arising out of the claims by the female witness who appeared on CrimeWatch last Friday, during which she detailed threats to the nation’s security including a second prison break; mass destruction in order to destabilise the country and the recruitment of local female suicide bombers.
Pointing out that the credibility of the woman’s statement was yet to be verified, Aboud said if it did in fact turn out to be true, “They are a cause for great concern.”
Aboud said this was not the first time that appeals had been made for increased measures to assure the safety of people in the Witness Protection Programme, as there have been instances in which witnesses have been killed before the matters even reach the courts.
Referring to the general safety and security of the country and citizens, Aboud said, “This is not a good place for us to be.”
During her television appearance, the woman, who is a US citizen, also disclosed information about people who were allegedly being trained by the Islamic State (Isis) and were constantly leaving and entering T&T.
Admitting that the woman’s claims were “very serious,” Aboud said, “Anybody who is concerned about the safety and security of the nation must understand that we are not given any great sense of security in thinking we can interdict against terrorist activity or organised crime when we don’t even seem to be able to stop people from breaking red lights or driving on the shoulder.”
He went on, “If we were to see attention being given to even the most basic law enforcement issues, we would have some sense of confidence that we could deal with larger issues.” Urging the National Security Council to treat with this matter urgently, Aboud declared, “This is something which government must not turn from.”
Explaining that the average citizen were at risk of house-breaking, larceny, auto theft, rape and other crimes, Aboud said terrorism and organised crime had placed both the country and the Government at an increased risk. He said, “Any action that comes from terrorist activity is going to place members of the government at personal risk.”
Aboud said, “The reality is that a lot of what we have seen taking place in the world, we could be at risk right here and now.”
Warning that, “An action like that will deal a greater blow to us as a country, than if oil were to fall to $10 a barrel,” Aboud added, “We are at the moment treading on very tender ground because we do not know what finally will be the policies or strategies that will lead us out of this economic quandary we are in, and an incident that is related to terrorism or organised crime will deal a very serious blow to the future prospects of the country.”
Aboud stressed, “The country cannot afford any terrorist activity and this is a very serious matter. There is nothing happening at the moment that requires more urgent attention as the country has other resources at risk.”
Revealing that the organisation was actively reviewing the security situation in the capital city as it related to economic matters, Aboud said in light of the allegations, “We may have to change that and consider rethinking what we have been doing in relation to national security and city security.”