Lawyers continue technical exchanges

Attorney Douglas Mendes SC, who is representing the US government in the extradition matter involving Jamaat-al-Muslimeen member Olive Enyahooma-El, also known as Lance Small, yesterday dismissed submissions made earlier by attorney Pamela Elder SC, who is representing the accused, saying there was sufficient evidence to extradite the accused to the United States. According to Mendes, statements provided by several witnesses cited Small as the one overseeing most of the transactions to import firearms into Trinidad. Small was indicted by a United States Grand Jury on May 23, 2002, on charges of conspiracy to possess firearms, contrary to the laws of the United States. The charges relate to an alleged attempt in May 2001 to import 60 AK-47 rifles and ten Mac-10 machine guns with silencers into Trinidad.

Mendes said the agreement between Small and another witness, Keith Andre Glaude, was simply to receive firearms in Florida. However, although it seemed simple, it did not change the fact that there was an agreement to commit an unlawful act. Mendes said once the agreement involved the action taking place in Trinidad, then the offence should be seen as indictable. However, Elder made it clear to Magistrate Joanne Connor, who is presiding in the matter, that her no-case submission was based on whether the offence was indictable or not, and not based on whether there was sufficient evidence for a committal in the matter. The magistrate then said she needed time to go over both submissions and adjourned the matter to September 21.