Editor of the Grenada Today newspaper, George Worme is once again under attack from eleents of the ruling New National Party (NNP) government of Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell.

The latest round of ammunition fired against the Editor was his detention and questioning Tuesday by members of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) pertaining to a letter written by Disgusted JCB in the newspaper dated February 17, page 05 under the headline “Shameful & Disgraceful Grand-Mother”.

Worme was picked up just after 11.00 a.m at his office on St. John’s Street following a complaint made against the paper for allegedly Criminal Libel by Clythie Redhead who is known to be close to the ruling party.

Redhead who lives in Sauteurs, St. Patrick’s is the mother-in-law of barrister-at-law, Peter David, the elected Member of Parliament for the Town of St. George’s. She is known to be vehemently opposed to David who separated a few years ago from her daughter, Dr. Antonia David.

The two plain clothes officers of the Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF), led by Police Detective 758, Sergeant Kenneth Gill escorted Worme to the nearby CID office in the heart of the city for questioning. Scores of the nation’s reporters and curious onlookers assembled outside CID as reports circulated in the country about the detention of the editor.

Worme was held in police custody for approximately one hour and thirty minutes, of which approximately 30 minutes were spent questioning him about the article about Clythie Redhead.

The newspaper editor was questioned in the presence of two of his attorneys - Anslem Clouden and Ruggles Ferguson. And then released without being charged.

The letter in question chastised Clythe Redhead for the role she is playing in the move by the Mitchell government to unseat David as the M.P for the Town of St. George. The St. Patrick’s granny is one of the witnesses down to give evidence in the court battle against David who is a leading member of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).

The article entitled “Shameful & Disgraceful Grand-Mother” issued a stern warning to the Redhead lady. “The people you grew up with are not all dead and you have to be very careful what you do today for fear that your track record unfolds publicly. After all, I am prepared to share it if you do not desist from this disgusting gutter behaviour”, said the letter writer.

Speaking shortly after his client’s release, Clouden said that there is nothing libelous about the article in question. According to the lawyer, what is alarming is that there have been attempts made in the past by the NNP regime to muzzle free speech and dissemination of information to the public in Grenada.

He labelled the latest move by the Mitchell government to se the police in the matter as an all out war to prevent free speech and the right of the press in a democratic world. Clouden, told reporters that there was nothing libellous about the article and that the "public will no doubt ascertain that in due course." He said the detention of Worme, a strong critic of the Mitchell administration, was an attempt to "muzzle free speech and expression".

Clouden said the matter is "somewhat intricately bound" to the Peter David affair - a reference to the attempt by the government to remove an opposition Member of Parliament on the grounds that he holds Canadian citizenship and was not entitled to contest the November 2003 general elections.

The outspoken lawyer spoke of plans to make an official protest to the Human Rights Organisation of the United Nations about the threat to press freedom in Grenada by the current administration. Like Clouden, Ferguson told reporters that the detention of Worme is nothing but an attempt by government to shut up the press. He encouraged all Grenadians to read the article themselves and judge whether or not it contains anything that is Criminally Libellous.

Ferguson cautioned that, “today is Mr Worme, tomorrow it could be anyone”. The lawyer felt that the issue did not warrant the involvement of the police and added that even if someone believes that they are being wronged there are other forms of avenues they can pursue to seek justice.

The only response made by the newspaper editor to the assembled reporters is that he is very sorry that the Police Force is being being used and that Special Advisor to Cabinet and so-called Special Prosecutor Hugh Wildman of Jamaica did not come himself and ask the questions.