Brazilian Civil Police in Boa Vista on Wednesday captured a man suspected to be one of the four gun-toting hijackers who commandeered a Trans Guyana Airways aircraft from Lethem to Brazil on November 14. He was turned over to the federal police.

Roberto Golfaren Falero Mederos, a 37 year-old Uruguayan, was caught in the suburbs of the border town.

Four men boarded the 13-seater aircraft armed with guns and shortly after take-off ordered the pilot Zaul Ramotar to fly the plane at a low altitude to avoid radar detection, to a destination in Brazil. One there, they escaped, allowing the pilot and eight passengers to return to Guyana but not before the Brazilian military intercepted the aircraft.

Among the passengers were Member of Parliament, Shirley Melville; C&F Proprietor, Peter Fraser; James Droop and Keith McLean of the World Bank; and a retired British Army officer, who was part of a four-member group of British and Canadian tourists.

When contacted yesterday afternoon Brazilian Ambassador to Guyana, Ney Do Prado Dieguez, confirmed that the man had been taken into the custody of the Brazilian Federal Police.

According to reports coming out of Brazil, the Uruguayan's account of the events tied into reports publicised in the local media. It is believed that the Uruguayan would be able to provide further details about the other men who were involved in the hijacking.

The others had been identified by the Guyana Police Force as two Colombians and a Brazilian. Their identities were taken from travel documents they gave to the local immigration authorities at Lethem. However, the name the Uruguayan gave at the Takutu Guest House where he and his colleagues overnighted after crossing the border from Brazil into Guyana the night before was not the same given to the authorities.

The hijackers had given their names at the Takutu Guest House as Raimundo Pedro, Clovez Santos, Raimundo De Souza and Ramon Torres.

Asked how the hijackers, if caught, would be dealt with, particularly in the absence of an extradition treaty between Guyana and Brazil, Foreign Minister, Dr Rudy Insanally, told Stabroek News yesterday that dialogue would first be required among the countries whose nationals were involved. "We need to have dialogue first to consider how we will boost our security."

In an update on the search earlier in the week, the Brazilian ambassador had told Stabroek News that assistance had been sought from both Colombia and Venezuela. It was believed that the hijackers' final destination was Venezuela.

Since the hijacking, the issue of security has been addressed by the ministries of Transport and Hydraulics and Home Affairs. Together with stakeholders they have agreed on a number of areas to beef up security.