Investigations into the threats sent to the Barrackpore East Secondary School by email earlier this week are at an advanced stage, acting ASP Ramdath Phillip, head of Crime and Operations, Southern Division, said in an interview yesterday.
Phillip said the TTPS’ Cyber Unit and the Anti-Terrorism Unit, is well-equipped and has implemented measures to deal with those types of reports. He said they also have support from their international partners.
“We have communications with our international partners and different agencies within the telecommunications sector both nationally and internationally and I am confident that the person or persons will be arrested charged and put before the court for what they did in this particular incident,” he said.
Phillip also warned the public against committing such offences, noting: “There are several pieces of legislation within our jurisdiction that deal with issues like this. We have the Terrorism Act, the Summary Offences Act.”
He added that the offence carries a penalty of $200 or one month imprisonment and legislators might need to look at amending the laws as there has been a rise in those types of offences.
An email was sent to the school’s official email address and two teachers last Sunday threatened that on Monday or Tuesday (this week), students and teachers would be harmed. In response, there were calls for the Cyber Crime Act to be strengthened.
TTUTA president Martin Lum Kin did not agree with the decision of the Ministry of Education to allow the school to remain open. He called on the ministry and TTPS to take the threat seriously.