This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

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. 
 
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EIGHT MURDERED IN HOUR-LONG REIGN OF TERROR 
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¶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. 
 
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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). 
 
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COMMENT 
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¶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