Opposition Leader Tillman Thomas has urged Commissioner of Police, Winston James to control those officers under his command who might be thinking of taking retaliatory action against his supporters following last week's Spying incident as the National Democratic Congress (NDC) would not take it very lightly.
Well-placed sources told GRENADA TODAY that Thomas issued the stern warning to Commissioner James on Monday as a four member delegation from Congress met with members of the Police High Command at Fort George.
The NDC delegation which included deputy political leader, George Prime, party Chairman Colin La Borie and ex-police officer, Vincent Robert presented a formal complaint to the Commissioner on the alleged act of spying conducted on a meeting of its National Executive by a member of the Special Branch of the Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF).
Apart from COP James, the police were represented at the meeting by its two deputy commissioners, Frank Redhead and Raymond Charles.
A junior member of the force was apprehended last week Tuesday night by NDC Executive members as he hid inside an adjourning building to their headquarters and secretly tape-recorded the meeting of the opposition grouping.
The officer, 77 Kelon Noel claimed that he was beaten and held against his will by some opposition figures including Senator Arley Gill. NDC is denying that the officer was ill-treated.
According to a source, Thomas informed Commissioner James that he had picked up information that some police officers aligned to the ruling New National Party (NNP) government were thinking of "hitting back" at Congress over the incident."I understand that Mr. Thomas told the Commissioner that if this were to happen that the NDC leadership would not sit idle by and allow anything like this to take place against its members and that the police force can expect something to be done about it", he told GRENADA TODAY.
NDC officials have indicated publicly that the party is discussing with a team of lawyers the possibility of taking legal action against the Minister of National Security and the Commissioner himself over the alleged spying incident.
Police insiders have told this newspaper that some tension exist within the force among rivals camps of officers who pledge loyalty to NNP and NDC respectively.
One officer confided to GRENADA TODAY that NNP operatives within the force have expressed a readiness to heed any call from the High Command to confront NDC supporters who might take to the streets to stage protest action against government in the spying issue.
He said the NDC elements within RGPF have been calling their associates in other stations around the island to advise them of what is being contemplated by those loyal to the ruling party."Ah tell some of them (police officers) that if they hit any member of my family (marching in the streets) that there would be trouble", he remarked.
During the James/Thomas meeting, the Opposition Leader also informed the island's chief cop about NDC's concerns over the politicising of the force by the NNP administration of Prime Minister, Dr. Keith Mitchell.
The source said that Thomas indicated that the NNP has sought to infiltrate all democratic institutions in the country since taking power in 1995 in an effort to try and influence them and the police was no exception.
He also indicated to the Commissioner that he had nothing personally against him and that recent remarks made by him on the operations of the force should not be construed as an attack on the Chief Cop.
The two clashed verbally recently when James dismissed remarks made by the Opposition Leader over the apparent "friendly treatment" meted out by the police to an NNP activist who was charged for a murder in St. John's over the Christmas holiday period.
Meanwhile, outspoken attorney-at-law, Anslem Clouden has reiterated his intention to seek legal redress in what he describes as a breach of the constitutional rights of members of Congress in the spying incident."We are going to take whatever legal steps are necessary to bring this to the attention of the global community,'' he said.
"We intend to proceed to the High Court of Grenada for justice in this matter'', he added.
His remarks were made Monday outside the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) as he brought a batch of three NDC members to police investigators for questioning in connection with the alleged beating of Officer 77 Noel.
"We are going to insist on our constitutional rights to ensure that this practice doesn't continue, where members of the opposition are being harassed and victimised unnecessarily,'' said Clouden, a former Senator.
He labelled the allegations against the NDC members "trumped up,'' saying they are facing "political victimisation.''"There is no merit in these allegations made against these executive members of the NDC,'' Clouden said.
"Indeed, it is the Commissioner of Police that must accept full responsibility for violating the constitutional rights of the executive members of the party'', he added.
It's amazing, Clouden said, that this probe of Noel's claims is being carried out, while there have been "all kinds of allegations against NNP members but no investigations are being conducted.''
Clouden accused Prime Minister Mitchell and his government of trying to "incite civil strife so as to get civil disobedience'' in the country."I call on our people to observe restraint and to let the law take its natural course,'' Clouden urged.
Engineer Joseph Gilbert, one of the NDC officials questioned by police Monday, said he was asked 28 questions in a lengthy interview.
He denied he assaulted PC Noel after the officer was caught clandestinely filming and tape recording an executive meeting of the NDC at the party's headquarters on Lucas Street, St. George's.
"I am innocent and I made it clear in my statement that I gave to the police during the almost two hours of questioning that took place in the CID,'' he said.
Gilbert, the NDC's candidate for St. Patrick West, is trying to unseat Minister of Economic Development, Anthony Boatswain, in general elections due within months.
