AG seeks advice on Dillon

ATTORNEY General Faris Al-Rawi has sought legal advice on a High Court judgement which said National Security Minister Edmund Dillon acted illegally when he ordered former Strategic Services Agency (SSA) Carlton Dennie to hand over his duties to director of criminal intelligence Matthew Andrews in 2015.

Acting Leader of Government Business Clarence Rambharat made this disclosure in the Senate on Friday.

Responding to a question from Opposition Senator Wade Mark, Rambharat said Mark’s assertion in relation to the court’s ruling “is manifestly incorrect.” In his question, Mark asked what immediate steps are being taken to correct Dillon’s actions.

Rambharat said, “As such, no steps have been taken to correct the action that has been indicated in the question.”

He also said Al-Rawi has sought senior counsel advice on the judgement and was awaiting that advice.

Rambharat gave these responses with Dillon looking on from the Senate backbench on the government side of the chamber.

Earlier in the sitting, Dillon told senators that Government has “reached out” to its international partners to determine the veracity of reports that a TT woman had been sentenced to death in Iraq.

Dillon could not say when Government would receive that feedback, and said he had no information about any other national in Iraq in similar circumstances.