Eccles siege Editorial Stabroek News February 12, 2001 Friday marked a year since the spine-tingling siege at Eccles which ended in the death of notorious bandit Linden `Blackie' London. He was never brought to justice for the numerous crimes ascribed to him but prima facie evidence strongly suggests that his life as a criminal was a ruthless, terror-filled reign. During his outlawry numerous law enforcement officers risked their lives or were seriously injured. It is unfortunate that he wasn't finally brought to justice before a court of law as opposed to the controversial shooting that ended his life. The high explosive February 9, 2000 siege of the Toucan Guest House at Eccles on the East Bank of Demerara by the police and army left a series of questions which have not been satisfactorily answered. The first has to do with `Blackie's' veritable arsenal which was used to hold the police and army at bay for 11 hours and to execute his ruthless crimes. His armaments included a Sterling sub-machine gun, a pump-action shotgun, an AK 47 rifle, a .22 revolver and a 9mm pistol. His ammunition supply, which allowed him to sustain a withering fusillade for hours, would have made an FBI SWAT team look harmless. A former army man, some of `Blackie's' weapons were said to have been originally assigned to the Guyana Police Force. This claim should have triggered a proper investigation by the government of the origin of the weaponry. Unfortunately, this was not done and therefore the chain of control of these weapons and the chinks that led to their acquisition by London have not been properly examined. Some type of investigation was done but very little has been divulged about it. All that has so far been gleaned about it is that during the days of the Ministry of National Development some of the weapons were regularly transferred to the Linden Constabulary. When the ministry was dissolved no records remained of the movement of the weapons. A more detailed, transparent investigation would have given the public greater reason to feel confident about the management of weapons in the national armoury. It might also have given collateral evidence of the extent of smuggling of arms into the country. How many of London's weapons and ammunition were smuggled into the country. And do we have a major problem on our hands here? It is a question that the government taking control after March 19 must investigate. London's one-man defiance of the army/police operation and the firepower that rained down on him was also cause for concern. The Toucan Suites was not the fortress it was made out to be yet anti-tank weapons employed by the army and a blistering barrage of gunfire failed to flush him out. In the end, it was fire - a more primitive weapon - that did the trick and forced him into the open. Clearly, the resources and stratagems of the disciplined services in responding to situations of this type need to be reassessed. Both the police and the army should have undertaken these reviews though the public has not been kept abreast. The chain of command for the joint army/police operation and the assignment of responsibilities in the zone of engagement clearly needed reshaping. To those on the scene of the siege, it was evident that conflicting instructions were percurrent in the operation. They came from various quarters and the command structure was imprecise. Increasingly the army has been asked to assist the police in law enforcement when crises have arisen and it is essential that protocols for joint operations be worked out to avoid these command shortcomings. This would remove any possibility for friction, discord and operational gaffes. The final bullets in the `Blackie' operation offer a classic example of rudderless command and there has been no convincing explanation for why it happened. Other enigmas linger. Was the woman with `Blackie' shot by him or cut down by the brutal crossfire? What became of his booty conservatively estimated at $100M? Was London the master of his own destiny or was he a hired gun? How did his gang survive intact for so long without the police being able to compromise it? The `Blackie' episode vented a stream of obvious questions which if properly answered would have put law enforcement on a more solid footing. It isn't clear that this has happened. Follow the goings-on in Guyana in Guyana Today If you do not see the 'Guyana: Land of Six Peoples' drop-down menu on the left then please click here to enter through the front door which will give you additional options and information.