Former Grenada attorney general Lloyd Noel has criticised the government's reaction to the release of three of the Grenada 13. Following the Judge's ruling on Wednesday, a statement from the governing New National Party expressed disappointment at the court's decision. "Government, like the vast majority of Grenadians, is disappointed," the statement said. The Keith Mitchell-led New National Party said however, it would abide by the decision. "We know that many of us may not be able to understand the reason behind today's ruling but we ask for God's guidance to lift us out of this very troubling time," the statement said. Noel dismisses government concerns However Mr. Noel, who served in the People's Revolutionary Government, and was one of the lawyers representing the defendants, described the government's reaction as "ridiculous". He denounced Prime Minister Keith Mitchell's description of Wednesday 27th June as a sad day because of the court's ruling: "I think that is shameful, because in my view it is not the worst day, it is the best day for justice and for the whole question of reconciliation,". "Those guys have served their term, they've done extremely well in their behaviour and attitude in prison and they went through the legal process to get where they are," he told BBC Caribbean. Mr. Noel also made it clear that he had no sympathy for the families of the victims of the October 1983 coup. Earlier victims He noted that during the Grenada revolution over 3,000 Grenadians were imprisoned without charge or trial, while others were either killed or hospitalised. "What about the comfort of the 3,000? If democracy deals with majority, which side should be more in the limelight?" "Those who have died had no satisfaction no justice. What about them? Do we forget them after 25 years and only remember those in the last years, it doesn't make sense. There's a contradiction," he said. But the government in St Georges said it was baffled by Wednesday's ruling. It said in a statement it had strengthened the prosecution with regional legal expertise to, in its words, ensure that justice was done. It also sought to explain why it had filed an affidavit to have the judge removed from the case - the statement referred to Justice Bell's "perceived involvement with the defendants". The government was clearly annoyed that this was rejected by the Judiciary. It also described all of the local lawyers involved in defending the prisoners as known and loud opponents of the government, labelling them agents of the opposition National Democratic Congress. Mr. Noel said the government's reaction to the court ruling was an indication that it has no confidence in the country's judicial system. Reprinted from bbccaribbean.com