War intensifies ...
Hit on Rahael
... nephew's murder connected to Monos drug bust, Bryden fire

TnT Mirror

HEALTH Minister John Rahael is the main target marked for execution by a cartel of local executives and Colombian traders.

But because security was around him, it made the hit difficult. The message was telegraphed loud and clear, with the decapitation of Dr. Edward Koury, the nephew of Rahael's wife.

This is the information gleaned by TnT Mirror from an undercover international intelligence source.

Koury was snatched last week Wednesday from his business place at ISKO Limited, Macoya Industrial Estate, Tunapuna.

His headless body was discovered two days later, dumped in an orange field in Caparo, near where Rahael's son-in-law has staked a claim to lease a piece of former Caroni 1975 Limited estate.

He was buried at Lapeyrouse Cemetery on Tuesday following a funeral service at St. Finbar's RC Church, Diego Martin.

At Press time, police was tipped off that the missing head was buried somewhere in Laventille Road, San Juan.

This follows futile searches at locations off Mosquito Creek, La Romaine.

Mirror was told that since the daring daylight attack on Dr. Koury, the wealthy Syrian community has been under a self-imposed lockdown with heavy security and bodyguard services employed.

It is understood that while family members are being shipped out to secure destinations abroad, "professionals" are being shipped into Trinidad to "take care of business" against the suspected perpetrators, who are reported to be high-ranking executives.

The Syrian mafia, Mirror was told, is bent on dealing with the big fishes in their own way, outside of the law.

With tension and emotions running high in what has been described as a major split in an elite local cartel, the deadly war for control of the multi-billion dollar drug-trade is expected to claim many more lives, a counter-drug agent told Mirror.

Agents are picking up intelligence on a possible connection between the recent $700 million Monos Island bust and multi-million dollar fire which destroyed the AS Bryden Warehouse in El Socorro.

Meanwhile, six persons appeared in the Tunapuna Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, charged in connection with Dr. Koury's murder.

Despite protestation by the lawyers, all were denied bail by Magistrate Indra Ramoo-Haynes.

Another person is believed to have agreed to turn State's witness.

Some sleuths are of the opinion that their investigations could easily be compromised with the lure of big money to lean the enquiries in a particular way and influence information flow to the media.

With an impending election breeze blowing towards a December poll date, feverish efforts are also being conjured in certain quarters to tag Dr. Koury's murder with a political label.

Family members have described Dr. Koury as a bright, successful businessman.

They are convinced that it was a robbery went awry and he was the wrong target.

Rahael, meanwhile, is reported to be considering his political future in the wake of the present situation, but Prime Minister Patrick Manning is alleged to have insisted that he should remain a Cabinet Minister, because it would send a wrong message to the jumpy population that the government was incapable of dealing with the runaway crime situation should he resign.

Reprinted for Fair Use Only from:
www.tntmirror.com/friday/2005/sept30/story01.htm