Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi yesterday said the incident at the Government Plaza Parkade, which led to the evacuation of his offices, was not a first time situation and thanked security officials for their quick response.
There were reports that apart from an explosive device that was found at the Parkade, projectiles were also directed at the sixth floor of the AG’s office.
Addressing questions on this at a virtual media conference, the AG said, “I myself have been the subject of serious criminal action, I just accept that that is part and parcel of the job.
“The projectiles which may or may not have come into the office of the Attorney General and not for the first time, always present a danger.
“For the hardworking members of the civil service and the public service at the Ministry of the Attorney General and Registrar General, I always have a deep concern for their safety,” he said.
The media conference was initially scheduled to be held at the Ministry of Legal Affairs but was shifted to the Trinidad and Tobago Television (TTT) studios after the buildings near the Parkade were ordered evacuated and closed.
He thanked the TTPS and Fire Service for their “quick action” in clearing the offices.
Over the weekend, there was also a voice note being circulated which spoke to an attack in Port-of-Spain and the exit routes being blocked.
Yesterday, National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds said there was no link between that voice note and the incident yesterday.
“I received the reports from the Police Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner (McDonald) Jacob,” he said.
Hinds said the voice note was from a “so far” faceless individual, adding it was “terrorist behaviour” designed to create “disorder and disruption.”
“All of it turned out to be untrue and unfounded. And then this morning (yesterday), we had placing a contraption of scratch bombs and that kind of device together at the Parkade and reports alongside that shots or a shot were fired at the Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs,” he said.
Hinds also clarify that the “shots”’ were aimed at the building and not at any person.
“Note how I put it, at the Ministry building, the office,” he said.
He said this was not the first time things of this nature have happened.
“Which tells me that there are some desperate people among us for reasons best known to them at this time, are prepared to disrupt the society,” Hinds said.
Hinds said the police asssured him they will continue to be vigilant and urged citizens to continue to go about their “lawful business.”
Last June, the AG’s office was shot at and Al-Rawi described himself then as a “high-value target.” At the time the bullet was said to have travelled through two panes of glass and lodged into the wall of a recently used cubicle.