As the police seek a breakthrough in their investigation of the November channa bomb attacks in the city, some recent information out of the US Department of Justice regarding the alleged American-based mastermind may be helpful.
The government made two requests to the US for assistance in locating the mastermind who was implicated through a telephone number after the Ministry of Health fire in July, and according to Crime Chief Seelall Persaud, a response was recently received but he could not say when or what it was about.
Based on the information that was provided, he said, the police will be doing some additional investigations into the attacks which he said were not committed for financial or material benefit. He said this fact was even more evident since the gunmen concentrated on the police and buildings which hold some historical significance.
“Our investigation has found that these attacks were on public property. There was no material gain for the perpetrators”, he said when asked what the motive could have been.
From the police’s accounts the armed men numbering about eight started their rampage on the Linden/Soesdyke Highway around 00:15 hours on November 4, when they carjacked three miners one of whom -Wodette Roberts called ‘Buckman’- subsequently died from suffocation.
They were duct-taped and handcuffed before being place at separate locations. One managed to escape reportedly running all the way to the Kuru Kururu Police Station where he recounted the incident to ranks. Police said that some of the carjackers apparently journeyed to the city in the gold-coloured Tacoma, the men were travelling in and launched their attacks.
Around 02:30 hours, three men dressed in dark clothing, armed with guns and wearing toques, went to the West La Penitence home of Clayton Westford, one of the men charged with the Health Ministry fire. He had been released on bail. The man’s mother Pamela opened the door after the men claimed to be police ranks. They then handcuffed him before taking him away, ending up in the La Penitence Cemetery, according to reports.
There, the man was assaulted after claims that “he is talking too much and giving evidence against them.” Westford managed to escape and the men discharged rounds at him but he was not injured.
Then at about 02:55 hours, three armed men also wearing dark clothing and toques, approached the female RK Security Guard at the High Court in Georgetown and told her not to be alarmed.
One of them remained with the guard, while the others went to the Registry and later a fire was seen coming from that area. All three men then left in a gold coloured Tacoma pick-up vehicle which from all appearances was the one taken from the men on the Highway. The fire caused damage to records and a part of the building. A quantity of channa later was found in the building.
At 03:00 hours a group of armed gunmen in the gold-coloured Tacoma vehicle proceeded to the Brickdam Police Station where they threw a grenade at a police vehicle as it was being driven into the compound. However, the grenade failed to explode. The men then shot up the sleeping quarters at the station resulting in injury to some ranks.
Subsequently, at about 03:15 hours, while Westford’s father, Clifton, was making a report at the East Ruimveldt Outpost in relation to the incident involving his son, the same Tacoma pickup along with a white motor car bearing registration number plate PLL 6081 approached and shots were discharged at the station hitting the concrete wall. No one was injured. Two 7.62 x 39 spent shells were found by the police.
Later, at approximately 03:30 hrs person(s) unknown entered the Richard Ishmael Secondary School and set fire to several areas of the building. However, the fire was put out as a result of the quick action by public-spirited citizens and the fire service.
Following the attacks police recovered a white wagon at Houston with three bullet holes on the hood and windscreen which was believed to have been one of the vehicles used by the gunmen.
Link
Persaud told Stabroek News on Friday that the incident on the Highway and the subsequent attacks in the city were connected and there was evidence to show this link.
He however did not go into details but in the days following the blitz, a senior police officer had told this newspaper that the link was made through eye witnesses, who not only identified some of the gunmen but identified the gold coloured Tacoma. However, it appeared that those eye witnesses later recanted.
The day after the incident, a burnt Tacoma pickup was discovered at Millie’s Hideout, on the outskirts of Linden, with ammo and explosive material. It was later positively identified by its owner as the one hijacked on the highway.
Following the attacks in the city, reports are that roadblocks were set up at strategic points including the East Bank Demerara.
When asked yesterday how the gunmen could have passed this heightened police presence in a stolen vehicle and then make it almost to Linden undetected, Persaud told this newspaper that sometimes criminals take drastic measures to conceal themselves.
He cited two cases in which criminals checked into hotels to avoid detection and in referring back to the city attacks he said that other factors could have also been involved including when the roadblocks were set up and how long they were in place for. Persaud admitted that at times too, the ranks at these roadblocks may not be vigilant enough.
Days after police issued wanted bullets for six men who they linked to the attacks. Two of them – Troy Ellis and Shawn Benn, turned themselves in to investigators in the company of their lawyers.
After being questioned and not being identified in an identification parade, the men were released on bail. Persaud could not say if the men were still being questioned by the police in relation to the matter.
The others wanted are Charles Clarke called ‘Pumpkin’ or ‘Perkin; Colin Jones called `Bunny’; Kurt Thierens called ‘Glasses;’ and arson accused Keith Ferrier called `General’. Jones and Thierens had previously escaped from the Providence Police Station lock-ups shortly after they were held for questioning into the Ministry of Health Fire.
Coming home
Relatives of Clarke and several of his close friends have said that he could not have committed the crimes he is being implicated in since he has been in French Guiana since May.
Persaud told this newspaper that neither Charles nor his relatives has made contact with investigators. He said that too there are no records of the man leaving his country.
Contacted, one of the man’s relatives said that he will be coming home for the holidays and will present himself to the police in the company of a lawyer.
According to the relative, Clarke has all his documents to show that he has been working in French Guiana pointing out “He ain’t got nothing to hide… We don’t want he get no bad name”.
All of the wanted men had run-ins with the police and in at least three cases there were criminal charges.
Clarke was charged back in 2007 with possession of marijuana. His relatives had explained to this newspaper that after being placed on $50, 000 bail, the case against him was dismissed. They said that the man had visited a friend who resided at Punt Trench Dam when the police carried out a raid of a house nearby and he was held.
Ferrier was one of the persons charged with the Ministry of Health fire and after being released on bail by the court, he disappeared.
Benn a deportee from Canada was previously charged with drug offences and has a case before the court.
Shortly after she arrived here from Canada, Benn’s mother Vilma during an interview with Stabroek News criticized the police for publishing the photographs and particulars of the wanted men before first making an effort to locate them.
Vilma had stated that the police had her son’s address and yet they did not visit the home in search of him.
However Persaud said that the publication of the bulletins was the last resort for the investigators.
According to him, wanted bulletins are only published when the police cannot find the persons adding that in the case of the attacks, all the necessary things were done to locate the men.
He said the police did not locate the men and as such the bulletins were issued.