The findings of the audit into the Strategic Services Agency (SSA) have triggered the drafting of a National Security Inter-Agency concept of operations, and continuing audits are checking whether other security agencies have been infiltrated by rogue elements as the SSA was.
National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds confirmed this in the Senate yesterday, replying to queries from Independent Senator Dr Paul Richards. Hinds was questioned following a statement delivered by Prime Minister Keith Rowley in Parliament on Wednesday on the audit that has been ongoing in the SSA since March. The PM revealed the disturbing findings of an audit that revealed a cult in the SSA was arming itself to oust the Government.
Hinds said that in addition to the full and thorough audit of all aspects of the SSA’s operations, the policy is to be reviewed by the National Inter-Agency Committee “for submission to the National Security Council (NSC) for its consideration.”
Hinds was asked to indicate what additional oversight mechanisms have been initiated to prevent the recurrence of this type of breach in the national security apparatus.
He said since March 3, 2024, the SSA director reports bi-monthly to the chair of the NSC, attends meetings as often as requested to do so by the NSC, and meets monthly with him as National Security Minister.
“Altogether, oversight remains with the NSC,” Hinds added.
Richards asked what urgent measures the Government intends to pursue to prevent any potential compromise of other national security agencies that routinely interface with SSA.
Richards asked if the audit’s findings had prompted an examination of possible infiltration by similar rogue elements in other national security agencies. Hinds said audits are underway in every aspect of their operations.
“And certainly this matter and relevant matters will be pursued and taken into account.”
The audit into the SSA revealed alarming findings, including the purchase by the intelligence agency of military-grade weapons and large amounts of ammunition. It was also discovered that SSA was infiltrated by people belonging to a cult that was arming itself while preaching a doctrine for trained military and paramilitary personnel with a religious calling “to be the most suitable to replace the country’s political leadership.”
The audit arose after the NSC received certain information from the TTPS’s Special Branch, which warranted immediate intervention and the installation of new SSA leadership.
Then SSA director Roger Best was sent on leave and then fired in May. Other people were also fired. Richards asked Hinds how promptly information came to the NSC since there had been an exponential increase in the purchase of ammunition by SSA from 2020 to 2021, almost doubling in 2022, seemingly without the NSC’s knowledge.
Hinds said the information came to the NSC a few months ago. “The Prime Minister addressed T&T on that some time ago and did so even more comprehensively (Wednesday),” he said.
“As soon as that information came to hand, and of course, the Government and through the NSC cannot act precipitously or whimsically—the Government acted responsibly and promptly in the widest and deepest national interest.”
Richards noted the SSA’s remit of supplying analysis data to other security agencies and the NSC and that the SSA had also supplied documents to Parliament’s Joint Select Committee on National Security.
He asked if the Government had examined previous reports from the SSA to identify if those were compromised and/or misleading. Hinds replied, “There are audits taking place into every aspect of the SSA’s work and operations, and I have no doubt matters such as that would be contemplated in those audits.”