By Prior Beharry
CONSIDER all possibilities in the murder of CCTV technician Andy Daniel.
This was stated by Barataria/San Juan MP Saddam Hosein at the weekly media conference of the Opposition on Sunday.
He was asked by AZP News, if he was making a link between Daniel’s murder and the discovery of CCTV cameras along the East-West corridor that were used by criminals to monitor police stations in St Joseph, Tunapuna and Arouca.
Saddam said, “The SSA (Strategic Services Agency) is responsible for the CCTV backbone in Trinidad and Tobago as stated by the minister of national security as a matter of public record in the Parliament.
“I am not putting anything past what we have seen. There is one report that indicated that Mr Daniel’s death may have been linked to the shake up (in the SSA) in March and we have to also consider all possibilities and eventualities with this very grave and concerning matter. All, all, all.”
Daniel, 54, was murdered on November 11, 2023, on the Uriah Butler Highway near the Caroni Overpass. He was working installing CCTV cameras.
Saddam said that according to media reports he installed CCTV cameras for government officials, businessmen and gangsters and kept the admin access.
Police sources have revealed that Daniel’s killing may have been the work of a “hit squad” that was operating within the SSA. Daniel’s wife was a deputy director in the SSA.
On March 2, the Office of the Prime Minister stated that the SSA head Major Roger Best was removed from the helm of the country’s intelligence organisation. He was sent on administrative leave.
Best was replaced by T&T’s ambassador to the United States, retired Brigadier General Anthony Phillips-Spencer who was with the Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and his delegation that travelled to the US and met with CIA and FBI among other officials.
Phillips-Spencer is spearheading an internal audit of the SSA after Dr Rowley said there was misconduct taking place with the use of state resources.
At the centre of the shake up was Pastor Ian Brown, who was appointed a Special REserve Police (SRP) and given a salary of $25,000 a month.
Brown’s two churches – Jerusalem Bride in Malabar and Eden Restored in Cumuto – were searched during the investigation. It was also discovered that at least ten members of the SSA, including Best, were part of his congregation.
Brown subsequently returned a number of high-power rifles after his SRP status was revoked.
Regarding the CCTV cameras discovered to be operated by criminals, Hosein said 41 were unaccounted for after 23 were discovered to be monitoring the police stations.
He said he was in possession of a May 10 police report that stated gangs were using T&TEC poles to install CCTV cameras.
Hosein said written permission was needed fromT&TEC to use its poles to install cameras.
He said 23 cameras were found to be illegally installed and removed from the Tunapuna and Basanta Trace areas.
Hosein said, “We learned these cameras were being manned by gang members on the lookout to alert other members with illegal firearms and narcotics in their possession, thereby thwarting law enforcement efforts.”
However, he noted that a police exercise in Bangladesh in St Joseph found a monitoring hub with two largeTV screens showing 62 cameras with live feeds of the St Joseph, Arouca and Tunapuna police stations.
He said, “If they recovered 23 cameras and there were 62 feeds that means 41 cameras are unaccounted for.
“I call on the Minister and Prime Minister to indicate whether or not they have uncovered and dismantled those 41 illegal cameras that are unaccounted for.”
Support independent journalism. AZP News is an independent news organisation that is not affiliated with any big business and depends solely on advertising to pay our bills. Therefore, we are asking for the generosity of our readers to help us with small donations of any amount, but we will be happy with $20, $50 or $100. Click Here to Donate
