Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08BELMOPAN252
2008-05-19 21:42:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Belmopan
Cable title:
BELIZE: HAND GRENADE ATTACK LATEST ESCALATION OF GANG
how-toVZCZCXRO8057 PP RUEHGR DE RUEHBE #0252 1402142 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 192142Z MAY 08 FM AMEMBASSY BELMOPAN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1287 INFO RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS BELMOPAN 000252
SIPDIS
FOR DS CC, CA, WHA/CEN - ROIS BEAL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC SOCI PGOV CASC BH
SUBJECT: BELIZE: HAND GRENADE ATTACK LATEST ESCALATION OF GANG
VIOLENCE
UNCLAS BELMOPAN 000252
SIPDIS
FOR DS CC, CA, WHA/CEN - ROIS BEAL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC SOCI PGOV CASC BH
SUBJECT: BELIZE: HAND GRENADE ATTACK LATEST ESCALATION OF GANG
VIOLENCE
1. At least one teenager was killed and nearly a dozen more
wounded, some critically, when An explosive, probably a grenade, was
thrown into a group of youths Sunday evening, May 18. The suspect
in the attack, who is still at large, is believed to be
approximately 16. According to police the attack took place on
Mayflower Street on the south side of Belize City, an area that has
suffered from serious gang violence in recent months.
2. Police Superintendent Edward Broaster told DCM that the attack
broke a relatively calm period and would likely lead to retaliation.
Broaster said that the police and social services had had some
success in recent weeks defusing tensions between local gangs
arising primarily from disputes over drug turf. In the past police
have responded to escalating violence by picking up gang leaders and
known members and holding them for short periods to allow tensions
to ease.
3. According to the National Security Ministry the grenade was a
U.S. model believed to have come to Belize by way of Guatemala.
Police recently arrested a Guatemalan national with three grenades
which he was bringing from the border area to Belize City. Broaster
said that police have intelligence that several cases of grenades
are in Belize City but they have been unable to locate them.
4. COMMENT: This represents a serious escalation in the
tit-for-tat gang battles that have left dozens of people dead so far
this year. Most alarming to the authorities is the young age of
those involved. No Americans were targeted in this attack and the
area where it took place is a part of Belize City that is avoided by
tourists. We have no indication that Americans are likely to become
intentional targets if the gang war heats up in coming weeks, but
the possibility of an American being in the wrong place when
violence breaks out is always real. END COMMENT.
HILL
SIPDIS
FOR DS CC, CA, WHA/CEN - ROIS BEAL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC SOCI PGOV CASC BH
SUBJECT: BELIZE: HAND GRENADE ATTACK LATEST ESCALATION OF GANG
VIOLENCE
1. At least one teenager was killed and nearly a dozen more
wounded, some critically, when An explosive, probably a grenade, was
thrown into a group of youths Sunday evening, May 18. The suspect
in the attack, who is still at large, is believed to be
approximately 16. According to police the attack took place on
Mayflower Street on the south side of Belize City, an area that has
suffered from serious gang violence in recent months.
2. Police Superintendent Edward Broaster told DCM that the attack
broke a relatively calm period and would likely lead to retaliation.
Broaster said that the police and social services had had some
success in recent weeks defusing tensions between local gangs
arising primarily from disputes over drug turf. In the past police
have responded to escalating violence by picking up gang leaders and
known members and holding them for short periods to allow tensions
to ease.
3. According to the National Security Ministry the grenade was a
U.S. model believed to have come to Belize by way of Guatemala.
Police recently arrested a Guatemalan national with three grenades
which he was bringing from the border area to Belize City. Broaster
said that police have intelligence that several cases of grenades
are in Belize City but they have been unable to locate them.
4. COMMENT: This represents a serious escalation in the
tit-for-tat gang battles that have left dozens of people dead so far
this year. Most alarming to the authorities is the young age of
those involved. No Americans were targeted in this attack and the
area where it took place is a part of Belize City that is avoided by
tourists. We have no indication that Americans are likely to become
intentional targets if the gang war heats up in coming weeks, but
the possibility of an American being in the wrong place when
violence breaks out is always real. END COMMENT.
HILL