Detention orders for eight more in T&T `assassination’ plot

(Trinidad Express) Eight more people have been served with detention orders signed by National Security Minister John Sandy, bringing the total number of detainees to 12.

The orders were served yesterday on Earl Elie, Khalil Karamath, David Maillard, Yohann Cruickshank, Andy Brown, William Taylor, Bryan Barrington and Milton Algernon.

Elie, 40, is a police sergeant attached to the St Clair Police Station.

He is a serving member of the service and resides at Sampson Trace, Cunupia.

Sources say the officer has 22 years service and is the son of a former deputy commissioner of police.

According to the detention order, Elie “has been named as a person involved in a conspiracy to assassinate the following government officials, which assassinations were to occur on 24 November, 2011”.

The officials named are Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Attorney General Anand Ramlogan, Housing and Environment Minister Roodal Moonilal and Local Government Minister Chandresh Sharma.

Among those named alongside Elie in the alleged plot to assassinate the PM and her three ministers are Maillard, Brown, Cruickshank, Taylor and Barrington.

Selwyn “Robocop” Alexis, who was served with a detention order on Monday, was also named in this regard.

Others served detention orders and identified as the persons behind a plot to destabilise T&T and cause major panic are: Muslim cleric Ashmeed Choate who has been described as the mastermind in the alleged plot to destabilise Trinidad and Tobago and cause major panic, Karamath, Algernon, Shane Crawford and Chionesu Luqman.

Choate, Alexis, Luqman and Crawford were served with their detention orders on Monday.

Karamath is a businessman and the son of deceased contractor Hafeez Karamath. He was detained last week while at his Valsayn home with friends.

Sources say following Karamath’s court appearance at the Port of Spain High Court yesterday afternoon he was taken to the Remand Yard prison in Arouca.

Sources say both Karamath and Choate along with other detainees will be housed in an area known as Guantanamo Bay in the prison.

Maillard, alias “Buffy”, was charged with conspiring on June 4, 2003, at his Diego Martin home along with others to murder Salim Rasheed and Zaki Aubaidah.

He was discharged at the Magistrates’ Court following the failure of the State’s main witness to testify in the matter.

Maillard hails from La Baja Road, Maracas, St Joseph.

Algernon, also called “Fareed Mustapha” of Hibiscus Arc Road, Rio Claro, was held by police officers one week ago.

Cruickshank, also called “Wally”, is from Mayers Lane, Longdenville, Chaguanas.

Both Taylor and Barrington were former members of the T&T Defence Force and were dishonorably discharged from duty.

Sources say Barrington, 44, alias “Soldier Barry” of Partap Trace, South Oropouche, was a trained marksman who trained other Defence Force personnel while at the T&T Defence Force.

Last year, both Barrington and Brown, alias “Sudan”, were found not guilty by a 12-member jury following the November 12, 2001, murder of Junior “Ombie” Fredericks.

Taylor, alias “Billy”, is from Cumuto Main Road, Wallerfield.

Brown, 43, hails from Green and King Streets, Plymouth, Tobago.

Attorneys Criston Williams and Evans Welch are seeking the interest of Brown, while attorneys Wayne Sturge and Naveen Maraj are seeking the interest of Barrington.

The attorneys have already indicated they will be approaching the Review Tribunal set up by Chief Justice Ivor Archie seeking a hearing into the matter.

Detention orders are not valid when the State of Emergency ends on December 5. The police will then have to charge the suspects or set them free.