Local News

Attorneys complain: SSA, Trafficking in Persons reports not laid in Parliament

05 February 2025
This content originally appeared on News Day - Trinidad and Tobago.
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- File photo
- File photo

ATTORNEYS for two men whose family members were detained in a Syrian ISIS camp have asked for the disclosure of key information on the preparation of Trinidad and Tobago’s Anti-Terrorism Unit's (ATU) annual reports.

The January 31 letter to the Chief State Solicitor’s department raised concerns over data integrity, national security risks, and compliance with international counter-terrorism obligations.

Tamjeed Ali and Saheed Mohammed complained of gaps in intelligence reporting and the failure to lay reports from national-security agencies before Parliament.

Attorneys Athena Smith and Criston J Williams of Quantum Legal said the Strategic Services Agency (SSA) annual reports for 2022 and 2023 had not been presented to Parliament, despite confirmation from the SSA’s director, in November 2024, that the reports had been completed and submitted to the Minister of National Security.

They also said the Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report for 2023 had not been presented in Parliament.

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The absence of these reports, they argue, undermines the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the Anti-Terrorism Unit’s annual reports for 2022/2023 and 2023/2024.

The attorneys warned that without input from the SSA and TIP reports, the ATU’s annual reports may lack critical intelligence on terrorism financing and human trafficking networks, limiting the government’s ability to combat these threats effectively.

Smith, a counter-terrorism analyst, said intelligence data was crucial in tracking radicalisation, terrorist recruitment, financing operations, and the potential links between human trafficking and terrorism.

She also said without this intelligence, security agencies may be left vulnerable to evolving terrorist threats and could miss opportunities to prevent terrorist attacks or dismantle criminal networks.

The attorneys have demanded full disclosure on several issues, including why the ATU’s annual reports were prepared without SSA and TIP intelligence reports, the methodologies used to verify the accuracy of counter-terrorism data, benchmarks or international comparisons used in compiling the reports, steps taken to ensure compliance with TT’s international counter-terrorism obligations, and details on intelligence sources used in the absence of SSA and TIP data.

They also want to know what safeguards are in place to prevent counter-terrorism overreach and human-rights violations.

Smith warned that missing intelligence reports could damage the country’s reputation in the fight against terrorism and human trafficking, potentially affecting international co-operation and funding for security initiatives.

She also said as a signatory to international conventions and resolutions on counter-terrorism, TT was obligated to collect, analyse and disseminate data on terrorism-related activities, and insufficiency of the annual reports risks non-adherence to international commitments.

She also raised concerns over international scrutiny, questioning whether global counter-terrorism partners had flagged TT’s reports as incomplete or unreliable.

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“This could damage the country’s global reputation, lead to strained diplomatic relationships or even result in sanctions or other consequences on the international stage.”

In their letter, the attorneys wanted clarity on the sources, methodologies and intelligence-sharing mechanisms used to compile the ATU’s annual reports. They also requested confirmation on whether the unit had sought alternative intelligence sources – including foreign agencies or private-sector partners – to compensate for missing domestic reports.

The failure to address their concerns, attorneys warned, could weaken national security, limit law enforcement capabilities, and expose TT to increased risks of terrorist activities and transnational crime.

“The country risks undermining its credibility and reputation in the international community by not including intelligence data in the unit’s annual reports.

“It could be perceived as non-compliant with international anti-terrorism standards or unwilling to co-operate in global efforts to combat terrorism.

“Furthermore, international allies rely on the republic to provide timely and accurate data to help address cross-border terrorism.

“Without full intelligence reporting, the republic might be excluded from key counter-terrorism collaborations, hindering its ability to share critical intelligence and potentially isolating it from global counter-terrorism efforts.”

The State was given until March 3 to respond.