The American envoy to The Bahamas does not believe that the traces of explosives that were found on the outside of a container near to the United States Embassy on Queen Street were terrorism related.
A week ago, U.S. authorities detected the traces during a routine sweep of the area in downtown Nassau, causing traffic to be diverted and the area to be cordoned off. Bahamian police investigators determined that there were actually three separate explosives traces.
What investigators are now trying to determine, according to the United States Ambassador to The Bahamas John Rood, is whether the person or persons who had been handling explosives did so legitimately.
“It is clear to us that somebody had been handling explosives and we are trying to determine if that was for legitimate purposes,” he explained. “They apparently were involved in moving these containers at one point.”
Investigators did not find any evidence of explosives inside the container. The incident had refocused attention on plans that U.S. embassy officials had to relocate the facility to a more secure spot, one which could also provide better accommodations for members of the public.
Currently, the embassy is wedged between a range of private spaces, an asset management firm, and a popular fast food restaurant. Applicants for U.S. visas are forced to stand outside the perimeter as they wait for the process to be completed.
Ambassador Rood also pointed out that the equipment that officials use to search for explosives is extremely sensitive. He explained that the traces did not necessarily have to be fresh ones.
“It could have been some time ago that these containers were handled by somebody who had traces of explosives on their hands or perhaps gloves,” Mr. Rood said.
The container reportedly belonged to a nearby fast food establishment. As the probe continues into the incident, authorities admit that they have not had much luck in trying to track down exactly where the container had been previously.
“The methods that we have for tracking trailers in The Bahamas is not as detailed and exact as one would hope and that is probably true in the United States as well, so, so far we have not been able to track where these trailers have been over an extended period of time,” the ambassador said.
The Bahama Journal
