Cordner insists: Williams knew about the Squad (with CNC3 video)

Forty-five applications for members of the New Flying Squad Investigation Unit (NFSIU) to be precepted were sent to acting Commissioner of Police (CoP) Stephen Williams last October. This was the claim made by retired police inspector Mervyn Cordner yesterday. Whether the CoP received the requests and blanked them is unknown as he refused to entertain questions on the matter. Cordner spoke at a press conference at Donrich Security Ltd, Arouca, where the NFSIU was based last year until it ran out of cash. 

Also present were administration director Trevor St Louis and NFSIU member Christopher Williams, who corroborated Cordner's claims. Cordner’s said: “I met the CoP in the corridor and the applications were handed over to his assistant. I am saying that 45 applications for the members to be precepted were handed over. I do not know what happened next.” The men were adamant yesterday that they played an integral role in helping police with investigations, insisting that Minister of National Security Jack Warner sanctioned the operation. “When people are in office and lie it is a very serious thing. To say that you never knew about no Flying Squad being revived is a lie,” Cordner said.

Flying Squad Controversy

He has claimed Warner recalled him to head the unit. Warner has maintained he had no knowledge of its operations.“We were asked to begin operations. We worked from Maracas to Cedros,” St Louis said. They claimed they solved murders and provided information that led to suspects being held. Intelligence reports showing where the NFSIU carried out exercises were shown to the media yesterday. The squad members claimed the reports were submitted to Warner and director of the National Security Operations Centre (NSOC) Garvin Heerah. An internal e-mail trail at the ministry showed Heerah communicated with and helped set up the NFSIU.

Contacted by the T&T Guardian yesterday, Williams did not deny or confirm if he had received the applications, only saying: “There is a not a single citizen who could stand up at the level of integrity that I could stand up to in T&T. I have spent my entire career performing a duty with nobody pointing a finger at me. “Holding the office that I hold, I have to be careful, because everything becomes a story. I will have my timing to deal with every single issue. “Right now, with everything that is happening, I have a responsibility to deal with my matter in a particular way. Nobody could never point a finger in relation to my ethical standards.”

Pressed further on whether he received the applications, Williams said: “I am not answering any more questions about Cordner. I already spoke.”  Williams also refused to comment further on the NFSIU. He has repeatedly dismissed Cordner's claims that he assisted the police with investigations. Asked if he ever met with Heerah about members of the NFSIU, Williams said: “I have never changed what I said. Do you understand what I am saying? I am saying that what I said before has not changed.  I do not want to go into discussing anything. “The next time I make a statement it will be a statement to deal with everything.” Williams has repeatedly said he knew nothing about the NFSIU until he read a T&T Guardian story on February 2. On whether he would recuse himself from probing the matter, he said: “I heard some say I should step down, some said I should not and others said there is need for an independent body. “I have nothing more to say on anything. I will get my time.”