Trinidadian and Guyanese terror plot accused to go on trial next year
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| Published on Tuesday, August 12, 2008 |
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By Kevin Lindon
Caribbean Net News Guyana Correspondent
Email: kevin@caribbeannetnews.com
GEORGETOWN, Guyana: The trial in New York of the four Trinidad and Guyanese men accused of plotting to blow up fuel lines at John F Kennedy International Airport will not take place until next year, according to reports.
According to one of the defence attorneys, Kafahni Nkrumah, a lot still has to be achieved before the judge can start the case.
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Abdul Kadir, former Member of Parliament
in Guyana |
Nkrumah, who is representing Guyanese former PNC Parliamentarian and regional councillor, Abdul Kadir, claimed the prosecution had not made full disclosure in the case during last week’s status hearing
He agreed with the judge Dora Irizarry that the case was very unusual and that background checks on the defence lawyers are necessary.
This, he said, can take up to three months before the case can move forward
A spokesman at the US Attorney’s office said everybody involved in the trial must be properly checked including the judge’s clerks and all others involved, not only the defence lawyers
The same spokesperson says the agency involved must be satisfied that everything was in order before the trial proceeds.
Nkrumah and two other defence lawyers, Andrew Carter, who is representing Russell De Freitas, and Kareem Ibrahim’s attorney Michael Hueston have already agreed to the background checks.
But the other defence attorney, Daniel Nobel, who represents Abdel Nur, had some reservations when he appeared in the Brooklyn Federal Court last Thursday.
Nobel told the judge he was against a blanket security check being done on him. He felt that the security checks should be specific, but not widespread where all his personal business would be out in the open.
He said he will visit both Guyana and Trinidad, where the suspects are from, to get a better feel of the situation so that may also delay the start of the trial to March of next year.
This is coupled with the medical examinations to be carried out on Trinidadian Ibrahim to determine whether he is mentally fit to stand trial.
Another status hearing is fixed for September 19. | | | | Reads : 298 | | | |
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