Police knew about arms cache for Muslimeen but never found guns and ammunition

Retired Assistant Commissioner of Police Leslie Marcelle said on Tuesday he was told about a shipment of arms for the Jamaat al Muslimeen on July 20, 1989, one week before the attempted coup.

Marcelle was testifying at the the Commission of Enquiry into the 1990 attempted coup.

He said Assistant Police Commissioner Cecil Carrington of the Flying Squad told him about the guns and ammunition. He stated that Carrington said he learned about the shipment from an informant.

Marcelle was the Acting Deputy Police Commissioner in charge of Crime at the time. He said after hearing about the arms and ammunition he authorised road blocks across the country to seize the arms cache.

"My intention then was to prevent the arms and ammunition coming into the country. So therefore I was worked on that part of it by calling Divisions and arranging for the Heads of the Division to come to my office so we could sit, discuss and see what we can do to stop it," he said.

However police were unable to find any guns or ammunition.

Asked why he did not get a search warrant for the Muslimeen compound after learning about the weapons, Marcelle said at that time he did not think it was necessary. He said he felt the same way about getting the coast guard to patrol the waters nearby.