Kiskadee Watch unreservedly condemns Tuesday night’s attack by a firebomber on the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) substation at Good Hope on the East Coast of Demerara.
Surveillance footage released by GPL showed two men at the substation at about 10.46 pm on Tuesday. One threw a firebomb into the compound and both fled after flames erupted. GPL said its engineers inspected the site overnight and found no major equipment damage.
The utility said a successful attack could have shut down the Demerara-Berbice Interconnected System, affecting more than 220,000 customers. GPL handed the footage to police, increased patrols at substations and power plants, and asked investigators to consider offences under anti-terrorism legislation as well as provisions covering arson, malicious damage and conspiracy.
The police yesterday confirmed that one suspect was in custody and three others were being sought in connection with the attack. The police said the suspect told investigators during an interview yesterday that he and an accomplice had carried out the attack and that two other people had helped arrange and coordinate it. Furthermore, police said the suspect also reported that his alleged accomplice had spoken of another attack in Georgetown in the near future. The force said it was taking the information seriously. It gave no further details about the reported threat.
It goes without saying that the full brunt of the law must be brought to bear on the perpetrators and the intellectual authors. With this broad network of surveillance cameras one would expect that the police force will be able to easily identify the two men caught on camera fleeing the site of the attack. As it relates to the ongoing investigation it has to be said that the public has little confidence that the police force can conduct such a probe without being influenced by the executive. Historically this has been the burden of the police force and it has been underlined in recent weeks in the manner that the investigation into the infamous October 12 incident in Kitty involving the Leader of the Opposition has been investigated. The bias and doubts are also evident in the case of the Head of the Special Organized Crime Unit, Fazil Karimbaksh. Despite being the subject of serious allegations, the probe of Mr Karimbaksh appears to be in suspended animation and without any explanation.
Which brings us to the public address yesterday by President Ali on the firebombing. While completely unconvincing and repetitive he did say that his government is fully wedded to the freedom to protest but would take decisive action against agent provocateurs and those who employ violence.
During his address he did say that intelligence suggested that the attack on the GPL substation and possible attempts on other sites may have been discussed at an earlier meeting. He said information from people who attended the meeting had enabled security agencies to take precautions. It is unclear then why the government seemed unprepared for the attack on the GPL substation which if it had gone according to plan could have inflicted severe damage. Certainly if the government had intelligence on a planning meeting the planners should have already been hauled in to address their involvement in acts of terror. The government would then clearly have to address witness protection for its informants, another piece of legislation which this administration has failed to give life to.
It should be pointed out that more than a year after the Mobil gas station bombing at Regent and King streets, the government and its security apparatus are yet to apprise the public about the intellectual authors behind the fatal bombing and whether we are safe today from the perpetrators. The matter has been left to play out in the courts where the persuasiveness of evidence rather than hard facts will determine the outcome and the fates of those who have been charged.
The President yesterday said the government was also examining statements circulating on social media, including some about ongoing court proceedings. He said intelligence suggested links between certain statements and planned criminal activity. He did not identify the statements or the proceedings.
“These matters are under active investigation,” Mr Ali said. He added that investigators would seek to establish the roles of those suspected of organising, directing or financing any criminal acts, as well as those who carried them out. He said possible charges included conspiracy, aiding and abetting and terrorism-related offences where the evidence supported prosecution.
The public will watch carefully to see what evolves from this firebombing and if there is any sign that the government has actionable intelligence and evidence or whether this will just peter out as many such investigations have.
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