SMALL — A WILLING CRIMINAL

EVEN after Jamaat-al-Muslimeen member Lance Small became aware of the US police involvement in the gun trafficking racket, he persisted with his plan to bring the illegal firearms into this country. In response to claims by Small’s attorney Pamela Elder SC that her client’s involvement in the racket had been as a result of entrapment, Attorney for the Commissioner of Prisons Douglas Mendes SC argued that nobody had forced him into committing the offences. “There is no evidence, at any point, of him being unwilling to engage in this activity.  He did not back out despite his knowledge that the police were involved,” Mendes said. Elder had argued that the offences for which Small is facing extradition had been instigated by the US police. She said the officers had not infiltrated an ongoing conspiracy but had entrapped her client via undercover operations. Mendes, however, argued that there is always some degree of undercover operations on the part of the police that is acceptable. He said there was no plot to get Small and they had only acted on information they had prior to their involvement.

Based on two affidavits that formed part of the evidence presented by the requesting state, Mendes said, an opportunity had been presented to the fugitive and he had accepted it.  The affidavits had been sworn by Small’s co-conspirator, turned witness Keith Glaude and another protected witness identified only as John Doe. “The evidence shows that in the later stages of the transaction, he was playing a more forceful role.  He was the one being persistent,” Mendes said. Small, 69, also known as Olive Enyahooma-El, is wanted in Ft Lauderdale, Florida, to face charges relating to a conspiracy to bring 60 AK-47 rifles into this country and possession of ten MAC-10 weapons and ten silencers. The offences had allegedly been committed between April 17, 2000 and May 30, 2001. Mendes yesterday concluded his submissions and Elder will respond when hearing resumes before Justice Rajendra Narine at the Port-of-Spain Assizes today. Appearing with Mendes are attorneys Dana Seetahal and Sean Julien. Owen Hinds Jr and Ken Wright appear with Elder for Small.