The State suffered a setback in an unprecedented anti-terrorism lawsuit aimed at striking against a convicted T&T terrorist who is incarcerated in the United States for plotting to blow up the JFK Airport, in New York.
High Court judge Nadia Kangaloo, who heard the matter in the Port-of-Spain High Court, said the State had to provide more evidence to support its application to deem him a terrorist and obtain an order to freeze his assets and financial transactions.
The Guardian learned that during a hearing Kangaloo instructed representatives from the Office of the Attorney General to file supplemental evidence against Kareem Ibrahim.
Yesterday's hearing was held in private.
In their application filed on Tuesday, the AG's office included evidence which was used to convict Ibrahim and his two Guyanese co-conspirators of plotting an attack on the JFK Airport in Queens, New York, in 2007. The information was provided by the United States Department of Justice earlier this year.
In the additional evidence, which is to be filed before the next hearing on Tuesday, the AG's office is expected to identify any business and real estate interests connected to Ibrahim, which the State intends to seize.
Thus far the AG's office has only been able to inform the court that checks by the T&T Police Service's Financial Investigation Branch revealed that Ibrahim was not an account holder or signatory with any local financial institution.
Section 22(b) of the Anti-Terrorism Act provides that the AG's office apply to have a terrorist's assets frozen, provided that there is sufficient evidence proving that he/she was involved in terrorism either locally or internationally. The application appears to be merely procedural, as the T&T Guardian understands that no assets were identified in searches which were still ongoing up to late yesterday.
The application is to be heard ex-parte, without the input of Ibrahim's attorneys. Ibrahim may apply for a review of Kangaloo's eventual decision 60 days after she delivers it. The State is being represented by Pamela Elder, SC, and Michael Rooplal.