Lawyers representing members of the Jamaat-al-Muslimeen detained in connection with the murder of former independent senator Dana Seetahal, SC, have threatened to take legal action to secure their clients' release.
Attorney Criston J Williams issued a pre-action protocol letter to acting Police Commissioner Stephen Williams yesterday in which he threatened to file writs of habeas corpus if police could not justify their continued detention without being charged.
Shortly after, news came that police have charged the sole female suspect with being a gang member.
The T&T Guardian understands that the lawyer did not receive a response from the commissioner up to late yesterday.
Williams is expected to file the substantive lawsuit and seek an emergency hearing of the High Court if a satisfactory response is not received by this morning.
Under the writ, the police will be required to convince the court that their detention of the suspects for more than 48 hours was necessary in their continued investigation into Seetahal's brutal murder in May, last year. The suspects were arrested during co-ordinated police raids on Monday.
Two of them, Keston Seales and Deon Peters, were released by police on Thursday night, while Jamaat leader Yasin Abu Bakr and Hassan Ali were released on Wednesday. Hassan's son, Rajaee Ali; his brother Ishmael; and Jamaat member Garett Wiseman have also been identified as suspects. The three men are on remand at the Maximum Security Prison, Arouca.
The Alis are there after being charged with conspiring to murder radio announcer Kevaughn "Lerbz" Savory in December last year. Wiseman is on remand on an unrelated charge.
Members of the organisation have been holding daily vigils outside police stations across north Trinidad where the detainees have been housed since being arrested during a police operation on Monday morning.
The other detainees are Hamid Ali, brother of Rajaee Ali; one of Rajaee's wives Stacy Griffith; brothers Stephen and Devon Cummings; and Ricardo Stewart, who are all members of the Jamaat's Carapo outpost.
According to reports, Jamaat public relations officer Fuad Abu Bakr and other members were involved in an altercation with police when they attempted to see Griffith at the Belmont Police Station on Thursday night.
Fuad Abu Bakr has since filed a complaint with the Police Service. The Police Complaints Authority says it was not in receipt of any complaint in that matter.
Seetahal was ambushed by gunmen and shot behind the wheel of her SUV while returning home from a night at the Ma Pau casino in Woodbrook on May 4, last year.
Investigators from the Homicide Bureau and Criminal Gang and Intelligence Unit are said to have almost completed their investigation which may possibly see charges being laid against some or all of the detainees.