It made major news last week when police special branch searched six homes and rounded up an entire Muslim family. The Ahmad's are well known in Belize and the fact that the entire family was arrested for no clear reason suggested that they may have been detained because they are Muslims. With the long shadow of the US Intelligence apparatus, and the shadowy involvement of the Special Branch, which is Belize's spy agency - it raised eye brows. Today police gave answers:
Marco Vidal, Special Branch Commander
"For the past several months special branch has been engaged in an investigation concerning information which we consider to be of a serious nature. I am not in a position to divulge the nature of that information, neither can I provide details of the investigation. But you may be aware that on Monday the 20th of June we conducted searches at the residents' of the Acpad family and other persons. Items were taken from the search and these items are being returned to the owners as we speak. Certain allegations have been made in relation to the operation at the manner of which the searches were done. We can categorically state that the operation satisfied us and we are satisfied that in fact the operation was done within the confines of the law and in a professional manner."
Allen Whylie, Commissioner of Police
"In a sensitive matter we are certain that the family may be taking legal action and so we don't want to put our cards out there as you would want us to, because it is a sensitive nature. I can tell you that I've received a letter from their attorney, so I can say that much. I am satisfied that the operation was legal, legitimate, items were retrieved as the family indicated, those items we are through with them and the family was contacted today to come and pick up their items."
Reporter
"What prompted the operation?'
Marco Vidal, Special Branch Commander
"As I said earlier, information. We had information and we have been developing this for the past several months."
Reporter
"And the information in the public has the taint of some kind of religious undertone or relation to terrorism?"
Marco Vidal, Special Branch Commander
"I can tell you generally that we have no confirmed reports in Belize of ISIS being involved directly with Belize. But as you may know, persons have been recruited by the ISIS in parts of the Caribbean and we cannot be naive to the fact that it can happen here in Belize."
That press conference was held this afternoon at 4:00 pm in Belmopan. It was held principally to dispute what police believe are distorted press accounts. The Commissioner said he was falsely quoted in two news outlets.
Allen Whylie, Commissioner of Police
"Two articles have been brought to my notice. An article I believe by Channel 5 and an also an article in the Amandala. In the Channel 5 article, I believe they said that they contacted me and I said I knew nothing of the operation. I want to categorically deny that. No one from the media spoke to me, neither Amandala, Channel 5, Channel 7 or anyone. So, I've already asked our legal advisor Mr. Jones to look at those articles and let us prepare letters to the media houses to let them get their story proper."
Their electronic items were retuned today.
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