Police investigating threat to kidnap Panday's daughter

A report in the Trinidad Express Wednesday said acting Commissioner of Police James Philbert is investigating an alleged plot to kidnap one of the daughters of Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday.

The paper said its sources confirmed that Philbert met with Panday Tuesday at the Opposition Leader's office in Port of Spain to discuss the allegation. The paper said a fisherman at Las Cuevas overheard a conversation about a plot to kidnap one of Panday four daughters but did not say which one.

Panday has four daughters - Niala, Mickela, Nicola and Vastala.

His eldest daughter, Niala, lives in Scotland. Mickela is the Member of Parliament for Oropouche West. She and her two other sisters live with Panday, his wife, Oma, in Palmiste, San Fernando.

The Express said the fisherman told police he saw two men behaving suspiciously and told police he overheard one of the men say "kidnap one of Panday's daughters". The fisherman promptly called police, the Express reported.

The Express said members of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad visited Panday's home Tuesday and interviewed Mrs Panday and her daughters.

The Express said Panday confirmed the allegations and added that the intended target was not Mickela.