Theodore says he had no instructions about amnesty for 1990 insurrectionists

A former top soldier on Wednesday told the commission investigating the failed 1990 Muslimeen coup he never got any instructions from government ministers outside the Red House about an amnesty for the insurrectionists.

Retired Brigadier General, Joseph Theodore, who was a lead negotiator for the Government, said the Mulimeen's leader at the Red House, Bilaal Abdullah, told him that they were convinced they had a "heads of agreement."

Theodore said this meant to Abdullah that it was all over and the Muslimeen would be allowed to return to their religious compound with their guns and ammunition.

"Negotiations were taking place within the Red House between the Muslimeens and the hostages and at one time I was told by Bilaal Abdullah that they had agreed on certain things which did not fall in line with my instructions," Theodore said.

Winston Dookeran, who was among the Government Ministers in the Red House when it was stormed by the Muslimeen on July 27th, 1990, told the Enquiry in April this year the Muslimeen allowed him to leave on July 28 to broker a deal to end the insurrection.

At the time then Prime Minister ANR Robinson and the late National Security Minister, Selwyn Richardson were still in the Parliament building. Dookeran assumed the role of Acting Prime Minister.

Theodore said Dookeran went to the army camp with a document containing the "heads of agreement."

He said the document stipulated that Dookeran be appointed Prime Minister. It also included a demand for General Elections in 90 days and an amnesty for all the insurrectionists, including a clause to let them keep their guns and ammunition.

However, he said he never received amnesty instructions from the Government Ministers outside the Red House.

He added, "Mr. Dookeran did not report to the President and indicate that Mr Robinson was no longer the Prime Minister and outlined what the proposals were.

"I don't believe that the document got beyond Camp Ogden. It was, from what I gathered, Mr Dookeran's responsibility to initiate or follow through what was written on that document and I am not aware that any of those matters were addressed," Theodore said.

Dookeran's testimony earlier this year was that the document that Canon Knolly Clarke took to the red House was a call for safe passage out for the hostages.