Petrotrin
beefs up security after threats
By Louis B Homer
South Bureau
Trinidad Express
Port
Spain
Petroleumworldtt.com
02 18 07
STATE-OWNED
Petrotrin has increased its internal security in
light of a threat made by Al Qaeda to attack all
US oil sources around the world.
Some
of the countries listed as under threat are Canada,
Mexico and Venezuela.
The
call was made by the Saudi wing of the Al Qaeda
Organisation in the Arabian Peninsula on an online
magazine, Sawt al-Jihad (Voice of Holy War), on
Wednesday. It was reprinted on the CNN website.
The
call was made for attacks on all oil facilities
of nations which supply oil to the US, and inciting
countries like Canada, Venezuela and Mexico.
The
publication stated: "It is necessary to hit
oil interests in all regions which serve the United
States, not just in the Middle East. The goal is
to cut its supplies or reduce them."
It
stated: "Targeting oil interests includes production
wells, export pipelines, oil terminals and tankers
that can reduce US oil inventory, forcing it to
take decisions it has been avoiding for a long time
and confuse and strangle its economy." Trinidad
and Tobago exports natural gas to the US.
Contacted
for comment relating to the effects of any threat
to this country, a Ministry of National Security
official said: "This is a matter for the Prime
Minister and the National Council."
Petrotrin's
manager communications services, Arnold Corneal,
said, however: "For a few months now we started
addressing security, because we are an energy-producing
country."
Corneal
said there is a plan in place to protect the company's
assets, but noted that the Ministry of National
Security has the overall responsibility for protecting
the local assets.
Trinidad
Express
Sunday, February 18th 2007
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©2006 Trinidad Express. All Rights Reserved.
