Government moving to invoke anti-terrorism legislation

PORT-OF-SPAIN (CMC):

The Trinidad and Tobago government is moving to implement the anti-terrorism legislation by freezing the assets of a person the court has deemed to be a terrorist.

A terrorist act is defined as one that will cause or is "likely" to cause harm and destruction. The judge's order must, by law, be made public through publication in the Gazette within six days, if granted. The entity then has a right of appeal within 60 days.

Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi, speaking at the meeting of the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force on Tuesday, said that the government has made an "application before the court to cause the designation of a Section 22B entity under the Anti-Terrorism Act.

"It is something we took control of as an incoming government and prosecuted with due process, leading to an application to the courts today. It is a very important thing to apply the laws of your country and not only to have them. It is unclear if there is any link between the current application and recent global developments," Al Rawi said without giving further details regarding the person or entity that is being deemed a terrorist.

But he told reporters afterwards that the application before the High Court relates to a request that had been pending "for some time", saying he would not divulge details of the application as the matter was now sub judice.