Trinidad Businessman Dominic Hadeed Appeals Detention Over Alleged Assassination Plot

Businessman Dominic Hadeed and his wife, Genevieve Hadeed, have appealed their detention after being accused of involvement in an alleged plot to assassinate Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and other senior government officials.

Hadeed, owner of Trinidad and Tobago-based bottled water and filtration company Blue Waters, faces allegations of conspiring to kill the prime minister, the attorney general, and other members of the government. Both he and his wife have strongly denied the claims, arguing in their court filing that the accusations are baseless and politically motivated.

In the appeal submitted on Tuesday, the couple stated that there was "no evidence" of any assassination plot because no such conspiracy ever existed. They also emphasized that neither of them has ever been charged with or convicted of any criminal offense.

The legal filing further alleges that the arrests are an act of political retaliation linked to Hadeed's public criticism of the government's state of emergency, which was declared in March as authorities sought to combat organized crime across the Caribbean nation.

The couple also claims they have been unfairly targeted because of their ethnic background. Hadeed, who is of Syrian origin, belongs to Trinidad and Tobago's Syrian-Lebanese community. According to the appeal, government officials allegedly referred to members of the community as the "one percent" and implied they were associated with white-collar criminal activity, claims the couple argues reflect discriminatory treatment.

The Office of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the appeal.

Dominic and Genevieve Hadeed were arrested at their residence in late June under emergency powers granted during the state of emergency. Since then, Dominic Hadeed has been held at the Port of Spain Remand Yard, while Genevieve Hadeed remains detained at the Maximum Security Women's Prison.

The couple is scheduled to appear before the court for a hearing on July 27 as legal proceedings continue.