Prime Minister Keith Rowley has slammed US commentator Malcolm Nance's accusation that T&T has "more terrorist members" than any of the seven countries on which the US slapped a visa ban last weekend.
"Mr Nance's broad and simplistic statement is not supported by fact and ignores the robust and substantial national security cooperative partnership between T&T and the US," Rowley said via statement yesterday.
This, after Nance, a reported US counter-terrorism expert appeared on the MSNBC network last Saturday, speaking about T&T.
Nance had referenced T&T, in discussing the seven countries on which the US issued a visa ban last weekend.
Nance stated: "...We (the United States) have not banned terrorists from Brazil. ISIS has dozens of members from Brazil or Trinidad or The Bahamas, who have more terrorist members than any of those other countries..."
The Bahamas government has rubbished Nance's claim as "unsubstantiated," questioned the source of his claims, and sought a retraction.
The Nassau Guardian reported Nance subsequently apologised via Twitter. He'd also noted that a report on one of the attackers in last year's Isis Brussels terrorist attack, possessing a Bahamian passport, had been refuted.
Regarding T&T, Rowley noted its ties with the US: "T&T and the United States have an historic, enduring and multi-faceted bilateral relationship built around significant cultural, economic and national securities interests and ties."
Rowley noted that T&T has hosted the Defense Ministers of the Americas conference attended by the US Defense Secretary and T&T was the first Caricom nation to sign–along with the US–a Customs agreement expanding bilateral security relationships. T&T also participated in the US' Southern Command Exchange Training on security operations.
"T&T's unshakable commitment to combating terrorism and religious extremism, in all its forms, cannot be called into question and we will continue to work with our partners in the international community, particularly the United States, our major trading partner, until this threat to world order and security is addressed," Rowley added.
Natuc head Michael Annisette, however, demanded Nance apologise to T&T.
Annisette said via statement."Mr Nance's statement was unsubstantiated and was highly irresponsible and indiscreet since it is not based on any empirical data ,nor does he have evidence to support his statement.What was his intention and purpose?'
"Mr Nance's statement could have serious implications for T&T since his statements could convey, to others, that T&T may be a potential terrorist threat and should therefore be under some sort of terrorist watch by the United States government," he said.
"It would also seriously affect our nationals travelling to the USA and those living the USA who may wish to travel back and forth."
"We're demanding Mr Nance immediately withdraw his statement and issue a public apology to T&T citizens, as well as to our emigrants who have laboured for decades in the US and have helped to grow and shape the economy of North America."
FIGHT AGAINST GLOBAL TERRORISM ONGOING
A statement from the Ministry of National Security yesterday acknowledged that while this country was currently experiencing challenges with some T&T nationals being linked to terrorist groups internationally, this country took the fight against global terrorism seriously and was continuously taking all necessary measures to combat the threat.
The Ministry stated that it was working closely with the Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs, which has established an Anti-Terrorism Desk to address, amongst other things, legislative amendments required to the Anti- Terrorism Act.
"Several of those amendments are informed by the Financial Action Task Force Recommendations, such as the inclusion of offences specific to "financing the travel of individuals who travel to a State other than their States of residence or nationality for the purpose of the perpetration, planning, or preparation of, or participation in, terrorists acts or the providing or receiving of terrorist training," the statement said.