Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi yesterday referred the Anti-Terrorism Bill to a Joint Select Committee comprising eight members with a report to be submitted by March 31.
Leader of Government Business Camille Robinson-Regis announced that five members of the House, among them Al-Rawi, Marlene McDonald, Prakash Ramadhar and herself, while three members from the Senate will be selected to form the committee.
Al-Rawi’s referral came two weeks after Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar invited Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley to discuss two critical pieces of legislation— the failed Anti-Gang Bill and the Anti-Terrorism.
Up to Wednesday no talks had taken place with both sides.
Yesterday, Al-Rawi, in delivering a statement in Parliament, stated that the bill seeks to target terrorist financing and activities, set out legislative mechanisms to meet international obligations and improve platform for T&T’s contribution to fight against global terror.
The bill was first laid in Parliament last February.
Having established an Anti-Terrorism Desk within the Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs, Al-Rawi said the Government in December 2015 obtained its first order of the High Court designating one national in accordance with the United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) and freezing his assets.
Since then, the AG said they have obtained orders in respect of a total of 353 entities and individuals, including all 347 designated by the United Nations 1267 Sanctions Committee and six individuals with a local nexus.
Further, they have gone to submit requests to three jurisdictions to designate entities/individuals in accordance with the UNSCR and the Financial Action Task Force recommendations.
“The Office of the Attorney General has also successful pursued and obtained the first listing of a suspected foreign terrorist fighter and ISIL spokesman and recruiter being added to the United Nations list.”
He said the bill contains comprehensive measures for 14 proposed changes, among them to submit names of suspected terrorists to the United Nations Security Council and its subsidiary bodies, address specific risks posed to children including recruiting and taking them to conflict zones and strengthening the law relating to the provision of services for the financing of terrorism.
Out of an abundance of caution, Al-Rawi said the Government inserted a three- fifths majority in the bill.
“As such the bill has been referred to a Joint Select Committee of Parliament for consideration on a tripartite basis, specifically with a view towards facilitating alacrity in the passage of the improvements of the anti-terrorism law.”