Attorney General Larry Mussenden has refuted allegations that a Police raid on casino ship was politically motivated.

As The Royal Gazette reported yesterday, Julian Hall ? a legal consultant to Corinthian Ltd., the Bermudian company that charters the ship ? accused Premier Alex Scott of allowing ?personal animus? to cloud his judgement in relation to Friday?s raid.

Mr. Scott has previously spoken out against plans for the ship to operate as a casino, which its owners argue can be done as soon as it is 12 miles from Bermuda and out of territorial waters. The African Methodist Episcopal Church has also criticised the plans.

On Friday, lawyer Llewellyn Peniston, who acts for the ship?s owners Estrellas Management (BVI) Ltd. spoke out against what he called the Government?s ?hypocritical? stance against gambling when it allows activities such as international horse race betting to take place.

On Sunday Mr. Hall told that he believed the Government had acted in a dictatorial and unlawful manner in relation to the . He said that no laws had been broken and that the owners planned to sue.

Mr. Hall added that it was made clear to Bermudian authorities prior to the ship?s arrival that its gaming machines would not be used in Bermuda and that its visit ? commencing on July 24 ? was simply because it was in transit.

However, in a statement released last night, Attorney General Larry Mussenden branded Mr. Hall?s claims about the involvement of Mr. Scott ?blatantly untrue, unfair and inaccurate.?

Mr. Mussenden continued: ?The Premier had no involvement whatsoever in any decision to execute any warrant on the ship or the captain of the ship.

He said that no politician he was aware of had had any involvement in the decision to execute warrants against the ship or the captain, adding: ?Those decisions are not matters for the Premier or any other politician.?

He added that the Premier was only made aware of the situation for the first time when he briefed him ?late on Friday afternoon? about the situation after the search warrants had been executed.

In another development last night, Mr. Hall revealed that the 21-day permission for the ship and crew to stay in Bermuda had expired yesterday.

He said Corinthian Ltd had made arrangements to fly the crew members ? most of whom are Panamanian nationals ? to their home countries within 48 hours. The ship will remain in Bermuda.