Former 1990 coup commissioner Dr Hafizool Ali Mohammed wants to return to Trinidad to join National Security Minister Gary Griffith in the fight against crime. Yesterday, Mohammed, a former US veteran as well as chief executive officer and president of US security firm PEOSYS, offered his services to Griffith in an e-mail.
His correspondence comes on the heels of Griffith’s announcement on Friday that former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani and Police Commissioner of the City of New York, William J Bratton, will be coming to T&T to assist in the fight against crime. The minister told reporters that Giuliani and Bratton would help improve the dismal detection rate of the police service.
Yesterday, Mohammed in his brief e-mail to Griffith, a copy of which was obtained by the Sunday Guardian, said: “I am still here and ready to assist. “Please remember, I have more than 40 years of national security experience. It’s great to have these guys (Giuliani and Bratton), but I have something they don’t have, multiculture.”
Mohammed was part of the Commission of Enquiry into the 1990 attempted coup headed by chairman Sir David Simmons. The other members of the inquiry included Barbadian jurist Sir Richard Cheltenham and former independent senators Dr Eastlyn McKenzie and Diana Mahabir-Wyatt.
Questions were raised about Mohammed’s qualifications during the commission since he had obtained his doctorate of science degree in international relations from Atlantic International University which various Web sites had described as a “diploma mill.” However, Mohammed’s vast wealth of military knowledge has not been questioned. Mohammed, in the e-mail, reminded Griffith that he knew how the people of T&T thought “from top to bottom.” He asked Griffith to “give it a serious thought.”
Mohammed said he had a vested interest in T&T since he had families and friends here. He believes that he will be a valuable asset. “My experience include representing the US at NATO, where I was instrumental in preventing further genocide and ethnic cleansing. My 2011 contract with the United Arab Emirates assisted in securing a nation from 8 neighbours, some friendly and some not so friendly. I am a veteran of Desert Storm,” he added in the e-mail.
Mohammed also indicated that he would not “charge as much” as Giuliani and Bratton. A text message was sent to Griffith for a response to Mohammed’s offer. However, up to late yesterday he had not responded.