Trinidad and Tobago’s Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro has assured the public that a series of bomb threats made across the country will not derail Independence Day celebrations.

In an audio message issued on August 30, on the eve of Trinidad and Tobago’s 64th Independence Day, Guevarro said police have investigated a series of threats targeting courts, government offices, shopping plazas, hotels and diplomatic missions.

According to the commissioner, all of the threats investigated so far have been confirmed as hoaxes, with no explosives or suspicious devices found.

The scale of the threats was particularly evident on August 19, when 11 threats were made within 40 minutes against eight magistrates’ courts, as well as Val Park Shopping Plaza and Kent House, which is the headquarters of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development.

Guevarro said additional threats were made on August 20 and August 22, with subsequent threats also targeting government offices, hotels and diplomatic missions.

He said the incidents appear to have been intended to disrupt the operations of the targeted institutions and create fear among members of the public.

“Such behaviour is not only criminal, but also deeply irresponsible, and seeks to sow fear, disrupt justice, and waste valuable public resources,” Guevarro said.

Despite the number of threats, the commissioner said police have received no intelligence indicating that an actual attack is being planned against the state, diplomatic missions or Independence Day celebrations.

“The threat level remains low. The primary risk is public panic and disruption, and not any single credible threat was found,” he said

The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service has nevertheless increased its level of alert and put additional measures in place to protect Independence Day activities.

Guevarro said investigations are continuing, particularly as police work to identify the person or persons behind the threats.

He acknowledged that cybercrime investigations can take longer because investigators must obtain and analyse digital evidence, but pointed to a similar incident last year in which a person used online resources to threaten a secondary school in Rio Claro.

That individual was eventually arrested, Guevarro said.

Addressing the person behind the latest threats, the commissioner warned that they should not assume they can remain anonymous online.

“To the unpatriotic, cowardice keyboard warrior who perpetrated this current set of hoaxes, all I will say to you is that time is longer than twine, and be mindful of the vengeance of Moko,” he said.

Guevarro urged citizens to remain calm and united, stressing that the threats should not be treated as a joke.