BRAZEN CRIMES IN GEORGETOWN SHOCK, PORTEND

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 GEORGETOWN 000205 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DS/IP/WHA DS/ICI/PII CARACAS FOR DAO AND LEGATT PORT OF SPAIN FOR DEA AND LEGATT SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PINS ASEC PGOV SOCI SNAR MCAP KCRM GY SUBJECT: BRAZEN CRIMES IN GEORGETOWN SHOCK, PORTEND REF: A. GEORGETOWN 111 ¶B. 02 GEORGETOWN 1425 ¶1. (U) SUMMARY. A SPATE OF SEEMINGLY DISPARATE CRIMES HIT GEORGETOWN BETWEEN FEBRUARY 22 AND 27: A) A POSSIBLE STAGED KIDNAPPING; B) THE DISAPPEARANCE OF POWERFUL WEAPONS FROM A GUYANA DEFENCE FORCE (GDF) STOREHOUSE; C) A HIGH-SPEED BOAT CHASE ALONG THE CAPITAL'S WATERFRONT; AND MOST DISTURBINGLY, D) A PARAMILITARY-STYLE OPERATION IN WHICH A HEAVILY-ARMED GROUP BLOCKED THE ONLY ROAD CONNECTING GEORGETOWN TO THE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, KILLING VICTIMS INDISCRIMINATELY. GUYANESE AND EX-PATS FEAR THESE EVENTS ARE FURTHER EVIDENCE THAT THE COUNTRY IS IN THE EARLY STAGES OF ESCALATING ELECTION-YEAR VIOLENCE. END SUMMARY. -------------- EIGHT MURDERED IN HOUR-LONG REIGN OF TERROR -------------- ¶2. (U) A PARTY OF 25 TO 30 PERSONS ARMED WITH SEMI- AUTOMATIC RIFLES, SHOTGUNS, AND PISTOLS KILLED EIGHT PERSONS FEBRUARY 26 ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF GEORGETOWN. SEVERAL OTHER PERSONS WERE INJURED. THE PARTY OF GUNMEN FIRST ATTACKED A GAS STATION IN ECCLES LOCATED JUST SOUTH OF GEORGETOWN ON THE EAST BANK HIGHWAY, THE ONLY ROAD CONNECTING THE CAPITAL TO THE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. THE GUNMEN ROBBED THE STATION ATTENDANTS OF A NOMINAL AMOUNT OF CASH AND THEN SHOT AND KILLED THREE PRIVATE SECURITY GUARDS. THREE PERSONS IN PASSING VEHICLES WERE ALSO HIT BY STRAY BULLETS. THE GUNMEN TRIED TO SET FIRE TO THE GAS PUMPS BEFORE MOVING ON TO THE ADJACENT COMMUNITY OF AGRICOLA WHERE THEY CONTINUED THEIR ASSAULT. THEY SHOT AND KILLED FOUR PERSONS AND SET FIRE TO A HOME IN AGRICOLA. THE POLICE ARRIVED AFTER THE GUNMEN HAD ALREADY FLED THE SCENE. THE GUNMEN MANAGED TO OPERATE WITH IMPUNITY FOR CLOSE TO AN HOUR BY BLOCKING TRAFFIC ON THE EAST BANK HIGHWAY. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE ASSAULT BORE THE MARKS OF A WELL-ORGANIZED OPERATION RATHER THAN JUST A ROVING GANG. SEVERAL OF THE VICTIMS ARE FAMILY MEMBERS OF PERSONS RUMORED TO HAVE INVOLVEMENT IN ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES. -------------- WEAPONS STOLEN FROM ARMY STOREHOUSE -------------- ¶3. (SBU) THE GDF ANNOUNCED FEBRUARY 28 THAT THIRTY-THREE AK-47 SEMI-AUTOMATIC RIFLES AND FIVE AUTO-PISTOLS HAD DISAPPEARED, PRESUMED STOLEN, FROM ITS GEORGETOWN WEAPONS STOREHOUSE (LOCATED LESS THAN A MILE FROM THE CHANCERY). THE GDF AND GUYANA POLICE FORCE (GPF) ARE CONDUCTING A JOINT INVESTIGATION. SIX PERSONS WHO WORK AT THE STOREHOUSE HAVE BEEN DETAINED FOR QUESTIONING. SOURCES WITHIN THE GDF HAVE INDICATED THAT THE AUTHORITIES MAY REQUEST U.S. ASSISTANCE IN ANALYZING FORENSIC EVIDENCE FOUND AT THE STOREHOUSE. ACCORDING TO NEWS REPORTS ON MARCH 2, SIX 7.62MM GENERAL PURPOSE MACHINE GUNS MAY ALSO BE MISSING. -------------- -------------- HIGH-SPEED BOAT CHASE NETS SUSPECTED FUEL SMUGGLER -------------- -------------- ¶4. (U) THE GUYANA ENERGY AGENCY (GEA) AND COAST GUARD (GDFCG) COOPERATED FEBRUARY 26 TO TAKE INTO CUSTODY A FISHING TRAWLER, THE MV SEA TROUT, SUSPECTED OF HAVING ILLEGAL FUEL ON BOARD. THE FAST INTERCEPTOR BOAT DONATED BY THE U.S. TO THE GDFCG IN MAY 2005 MADE THE DIFFERENCE IN TRACKING DOWN THE TRAWLER AND ITS TWO SPEEDBOAT ESCORTS. THIS PURSUIT ALONG GEORGETOWN'S WATERFRONT WAS THE MOST DRAMATIC EXAMPLE TO DATE OF GEA'S FLEDGLING CAMPAIGN TO FIGHT ILLEGAL FUEL SMUGGLING FROM VENEZUELA, BELIEVED TO BE RAMPANT. THE SEA TROUT BELONGS TO ASHMINS TRADING LTD, A COMPANY OWNED BY LENNOX JOHN. ELEVEN PERSONS -- INCLUDING JOHN, HIS WIFE, AND NINE ASHMIN'S EMPLOYEES -- FACE VARIOUS CHARGES, ALTHOUGH NOT RELATED TO ILLEGAL FUEL. -------------- -- POSSIBLY STAGED KIDNAPPING OF EX-COP'S DAUGHTER -------------- -- ¶5. (U) EX-POLICEMAN SEAN BELFIELD REPORTED FEBRUARY 22 THAT HIS FOUR-YEAR OLD DAUGHTER HAD BEEN KIDNAPPED FROM A GEORGETOWN NURSERY SCHOOL. THE MEDIA REPORTED THAT BELFIELD OFFERED G$5 MILLION FOR INFORMATION ABOUT HIS DAUGHTER'S WHEREABOUTS AND THAT A RANSOM DEMAND WAS MADE FEBRUARY 23. THE CHILD RETURNED HOME BY PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION THE FOLLOWING DAY. ON FEBRUARY 27, THE POLICE COMMISSIONER ANNOUNCED THAT AFTER INTENSIVE INVESTIGATION THE GPF BELIEVED THE KIDNAPPING HAD BEEN STAGED. BELFIELD WAS ONE OF TWO PERSONS ARRESTED ALONG WITH NARCO-TRAFFICKER AND PHANTOM SQUAD LEADER ROGER KHAN IN DECEMBER 2002 IN AN ARMORED VEHICLE WITH CELL PHONE INTERCEPT EQUIPMENT, BULLETPROOF VESTS, AND SEVERAL LARGE HIGH-POWERED AUTOMATIC WEAPONS (REF B). -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶6. (SBU) LOCALS AND EX-PATS ALIKE ARE SEARCHING FOR POSSIBLE LINKAGES AMONG THESE CRIMINAL EVENTS. THEORIES ABOUND. THE ECCLES/AGRICOLA GUNMEN MAY HAVE USED THE STOLEN GDF WEAPONS. THE ATTACK ON THE ECCLES GAS STATION MAY HAVE BEEN IN RETALIATION FOR SOMEONE TIPPING OFF THE AUTHORITIES TO ILLEGAL FUEL ON THE MV SEA TROUT. THE ECCLES/AGRICOLA OPERATION MAY HAVE BEEN RETRIBUTION FOR THE KIDNAPPING. THESE EVENTS MAY BE THE PUBLIC MANIFESTATION OF DRUG LORDS' TURF WAR, OR THEY MAY BE POLITICALLY MOTIVATED. AT THIS POINT, THERE IS ONLY SPECULATION. ¶7. (SBU) COMMENT CONTINUED. HOWEVER, MANY OBSERVERS HAVE DRAWN THREE CONCLUSIONS FROM THESE EVENTS. FIRST, THE SEVERITY AND TIMERITY OF THE CRIMES INDICATE A LEVEL OF LAWLESSNESS SHOCKING EVEN BY GUYANESE STANDARDS. SECOND, THERE IS LITTLE CONFIDENCE IN THE AUTHORITIES' ABILITY OR WILL TO UNRAVEL THESE CRIMES AND BRING THE PERPETRATORS TO JUSTICE. LASTLY, THE FEELING IN GEORGETOWN IS THAT THE PAST WEEK'S EVENTS HAVE USHERED IN A NEW STAGE IN THE ESCALATION OF PRE-ELECTION VIOLENCE (REF A). END COMMENT. BULLEN