President condemns lionising of 'Blackie' - says no permission was given for negotiation of surrender Stabroek News February 20, 2000 President Bharrat Jagdeo has come out in support of the army and police for the action they took in taking out Linden 'Blackie' London who was wanted dead or alive in connection with two murders and at least 14 robberies. He blames the media and sections of the population for sending the wrong message to our young people by lionising London. In the television interview--'This Week with the President'--President Jagdeo said that the heroes of the shootout with London at the Toucan Guest House at Eccles were "the soldiers and police who went there and basically had to take him out." President Jagdeo stated that London was no hero but a common criminal who lobbed grenades at the security forces and shot at them indiscriminately. Commenting on the manner in which London was killed, President Jagdeo observed that if London had come out with his hands in the air, then lobbed grenades at the police, killing five or six of them, the same people would have been asking why the police had not taken him out as he emerged from the building. He said that people who are making London a hero are forgetting the soldier who was shot in his eye while doing his duty to take out London. That soldier, he said, is fighting for his life and he lost an eye doing his duty. At a press conference on Friday, Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon, confirmed that the soldier, Lennox Harvey would make a full recovery but would be unable to return to the army. He said too that the nature of one of his injuries made it difficult at this time to assess the extent of his disability, but that the army was putting the mechanisms in place to make available to him the requisite benefits. Commenting on the concerns raised about London having been shot after he had been persuaded to come out of his hiding place, President Jagdeo said that he had consulted with the Chief of Staff and the Commissioner of Police and they both assured him that they were at one on the method used to conclude the operations at the Toucan Guest House. He said too that he had spoken to both the Chief of Staff and the Commander of the Police 'A' Division who were on the spot at Eccles, East Bank Demerara hotel and that they both informed him that they had not authorised nor given permission for any negotiations. He said that two officers, who were the only officers on the ground who could have authorised any negotiation, informed him that there were some discussions with London after he had called to some persons whom he knew and a dialogue took place. President Jagdeo said that the conclusion was a victory for the security forces in taking out a dangerous criminal who had terrorised the society. He said that Square of the Revolution was desecrated and Cuffy's memory dishonoured by those who had taken London's body there. President Jagdeo said that it pained him that everything had become so politicised that even the death of a common criminal could be reeled into the process. He observed that in making a hero of London, the wrong message was being sent to our young people and that they were not being prepared for the future but for a life of criminal activity. London was cut down in a hail of bullets after he was persuaded to come out of his hiding place at the Toucan Guest House. He had pleaded to be protected from being shot by the police.