Senior Public Affairs Officer of the Defence Force, Major Al Alexander has confirmed an investigation has been launched into the leaked photographs of the Attorney General Faris Al-Rawis’ children training with high-powered guns at Camp Cumuto, promising there will be no “cover-up” in the controversial matter.
Yesterday, Alexander said a senior military officer had started an investigation but could not say when it would be concluded since “more than a dozens persons” who were at Camp Cumuto during the training exercise would have to be questioned.
Al-Rawi, who initially refused to confirm whether the children in the photographs were his, first defended himself by saying his family had been invited by the Defence Force for a threat assessment after he received deaths threats soon after entering office.
But Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley took it a step further on Wednesday when he lambasted the soldier who would have taken the photos and leaked it to Moonilal, saying he would have put the AG’s children at risk.
In explaining yesterday what transpired at the training session, Alexander said “none of the principals—Mr Al-Rawi, his wife and kids—none of them took part in the exercise. There was a training session for the operatives. The purpose of them being there was for them to understand in particular emergencies what is done. They would have a level of competency and the capabilities of the operators. So it was really for them to observe.”
So how did the guns get into the hands of Al-Rawi’s children?
Alexander said similar to how the Defence Force did their career guidance sessions, there would be a certain level of curiosity.
“In our perspective, these are weapons that in emergencies would have to be used. We don’t want children being shell shocked and freezing when they need to move. It was really to remove the fear and apprehension. We allowed them to hold it (gun).”
In the course of holding the weapons for a few seconds at the end of the exercise, Alexander said strict supervision was adhered to and the “magazines were emptied.”
Also contacted yesterday, former chief of defence staff, Major General Ralph Brown, said he agreed with Rowley for rapping the army on the knuckles for breach of trust after the photos surfaced online.
“If it is that there was a soldier involved in that detail that provided those things (photographs) that is a breach of confidence. It means now that the army is getting involved in politics which we never did in my time.”