Soldiers: Gun lockers left open at Camp Ogden

Yesterday, the TT Regiment marked its 42nd anniversary with a church parade mass amid swirling rumours concerning who removed the powerful Israeli-made Galil assault rifle from Camp Ogden last week. Astonishing information made available yesterday, revealed that soldiers’ lockers at Camp Ogden are shared and left open. Army personnel confirmed there is a storage space problem at the various camps, and officers are usually made to share a locker with another. As a result of this, one officer has easy access to that of another and, to facilitate easy entry to the other officer, lockers are left open, providing easy access to anyone.

Regiment officials yesterday maintained silence about whether it was one or more soldiers involved in removing the rifle from Camp Ogden. In a terse release to the media on Saturday night, the Regiment said that the Galil had been recovered at around 2.15 pm Saturday, in East Trinidad. The Regiment did not disclose where in East Trinidad the rifle was found. Little information was forthcoming from army officials attending the 42nd anniversary celebrations yesterday concerning what the next step would be in satisfying the public in how this powerful weapon found its way to East Trinidad from Camp Ogden in the first place, and whether dismissals from the Regiment or disciplinary action is likely to take place. “All I can say is the gun was found somewhere in the East and we will be pursuing the investigation to the highest levels,” commanding officer of the TT Regiment Colonel Edmund Dillon told reporters. “Our investigations continue and those found involved will be taken as far as court martial, and if found guilty, as far as military prison and then dismissal.

“The police will have to decide what charges they will have to lay if any.” Up to yesterday, Camp Ogden remained completely “locked-down” over the mystery surrounding the removal and subsequent recovery of the missing assault rifle, and all anniversary activities planned to take place at Camp Ogden have been cancelled. Since the rifle went missing, all officers at Camp Ogden had been confined to barracks until there is an outcome in the investigation. Seven persons were initially put in solitary confinement, but Col Dillon refused to say if this number has been increased or reduced. The rifle, which has a range of a one mile radius and can fire 650 rounds in one minute, was reported missing from the locker of a recruit at Camp Ogden, Long Circular Road, St James on Wednesday. The colonel made these comments at a church parade mass held at the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception to celebrate the 42nd anniversary celebrations of the TT Regiment. Camp Ogden officials were notably absent.

Col Dillon also denied statements that there were three similar disappearance of firearms over the last few months. “This is the only such report we have,” he said. Sources also revealed that the weapon, which was removed by army personnel, was earmarked for certain underworld sources, who became frightened with the heightened military search and led the officers to its location. The heightened presence of Galil-wielding soldiers was evident at every street corner from Duncan Street to Richmond Street in Port-of-Spain yesterday, while the service was going on.

Information reaching Newsday is that two parts of the six-day programme that were initially put in place to celebrate the anniversary have been cut because they were planned to take place at Camp Ogden. The programme continues at midday on Tuesday with a retired soldiers luncheon, an officers’ mess dinner at 7.30 pm on Thursday and a 42nd anniversary parade on Friday at 4 pm, all at Tetron. Senior officers told Newsday all information coming out of the Regiment is handled in a certain way, and would not say if or when the “veil of secrecy” would be lifted.