CoP: 'July 1990 will not happen again on my watch'

COMMISSIONER of Police Gary Griffith said another incident like the July 1990 attempted coup by the Jamaat al Muslimeen will not happen under his watch.

He was speaking on Monday at the police media briefing.

He said Monday marked the anniversary of possibly the darkest day in the nation's history.

"Thirty years ago, certain elements decided to destroy our democracy."

He recalled at the time he was the youngest officer in the Defence Force after returning from the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, England.

He said the country has developed and matured tremendously in terms of national security, so that what happened 30 years ago will not happen again.

"While I sit in the chair as Commissioner of Police it will not happen."

Griffith said there were national security shortcomings at the time and recommendations were made by the commission of enquiry into the attempted coup. He explained that these have been implemented, including the National Security Operations Centre, which has recently been reignited, the rationalisation of intelligence agencies, and the establishment of a direct operation task force with a Special Operations Response Team.

He stressed that there has been training, upgrading and improvement of other police units and the service can "outgun, out-man or out-think any criminal organisation who would attempt to do anything close to 1990."

He also criticised the media for giving coverage to coup mastermind and Jamaat leader Yasin Abu Bakr.