Executive Director of the National Operations Centre (NOC) Garvin Heerah says T&T is adopting a zero tolerance approach towards terrorism. He also warned that the threat from Islamic fundamentalism and radicalisation posed by terrorist groups such as Isis (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) was real and at the country’s doorsteps. Heerah said the threat of this type of radicalisation and wanton disregard for human rights, safety and security was also real.
Speaking to the Sunday Guardian at NOC’s headquarters, at Knowsley Building, Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain, on Thursday, Heerah said, “Based on the recent developments on the global stage, there has been increased activity with Islamic fundamentalism and radicalisation in the form of terrorist attacks. “The global war on terrorism has ignited the attention of the world leaders, mainly the US, the UK, and recently the UN (United Nations).
“There has been some significant stance with regards to addressing strategies and contingencies to treat with the threat of terrorism on the world stage.” He said T&T’s decision to co-sponsor and align with the UNSCR (United Nations Security Council Resolution) on foreign terrorist fighters demonstrated that as a country we would not tolerate terrorism.
Heerah said the national security agencies were also going to be embarking on some stringent strategies and contingencies that had already been envisioned by the Minister of National Security Gary Griffith and the National Security Council.
Heerah said some of the anti-terrorism measures that he could divulge at this time would involve the formation of a specialised intelligence unit that would be doing both overt and covert surveillance on terrorism-related matters, working closely with the FIU (Financial intelligence Unit) and monitoring people of interest.
He said one of the key factors involved in NOC’s decision to start up this unit was the enabling of an information-sharing mechanism that was secure and offered them the opportunity to work closely with T&T’s international counterparts. Heerah said the establishment and optimisation of this unit meant international best practices and linkages with international agencies, which were critical, would be available to T&T because the threat of terrorism was not a local, domestic situation, but a global one.
Heerah said T&T’s decision to co-sponsor and align with the UNSCR was sanctioned by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and NOC was reviewing it as a national security issue. He said NOC was seeing how best to enforce the present Anti-Terrorism Act, Chap: 12:07, and expand on some of the key deliverables of the UNSCR.
‘T&T ready to defend itself’
When asked about the possibility that T&T nationals would become targets for Isis in retaliation for the country’s supporting the UN resolution, he said T&T was already seen as a country making a stand to defend itself, its citizens, infrastructure, state and sovereignty.
Heerah said aligning with the UNSCR has now partnered T&T with other nations making a similar stand. Heerah said there was always a risk in taking the decision to support US President Barack Obama against terrorism. That did not mean, however, that it had ignited a firestorm and put T&T as a main target. Heerah said T&T’s leadership had taken a public stand showing they were not going to tolerate any activity related to terrorism.
‘Suspected T&T terrorist under investigation’
Regarding the identity of a man speaking with a distinct Trinidadian accent in one of the videos showing the beheadings of one British, one French, and two American hostages by Isis, he said it could not be confirmed or denied at this point. Heerah said the information had attracted the attention of law enforcement agencies and because of the sensitivity and nature of the investigation it would be fully appreciated that not all the information could be divulged at this time.
He said, however, the scientific processes to facilitate an investigation of this nature were in progress.
