Arms cache in pick-up
List of persons found on laptop
Cop among those in custody
By Kim Lucas
Stabroek News
December 7, 2002
A list of names and cellular telephone numbers of wanted men and other persons has been retrieved from a laptop computer found in the blue pick-up stopped by the army on Wednesday night.
A policeman and two other men were intercepted with a large cache of arms and ammunition at Good Hope Housing Scheme. The police maintained yesterday that all of the men arrested are still in custody, despite reports to the contrary. It was officially stated that one of the three men arrested with the computer and arms is a member of the Guyana Police Force, attached to police headquarters.
According to intelligence sources, the computer is equipped with software that can tap into telephone calls of cellular phone users and triangulate the location of that person. Some of the persons on the list have since been killed in a series of recent shooting incidents.
Deputy General Manager of the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company Limited (GT&T), Terry Holder yesterday said the company's cellular service is 100% digital and that the privacy and confidentiality of customers can at no time be compromised.
He admitted, though, that GT&T has not yet seen the equipment that was seized on Wednesday night at Good Hope, East Coast Demerara, so they cannot determine its capability.
"We have no [idea] of what this thing can do...but persons can be assured and reassured that their privacy is not compromised," he told this newspaper.
Wednesday night's discovery and arrests prompted a number of high-level meetings in the security forces as well as raids of several houses around the city. Among the other items found were a town plan of Georgetown, at least two high-powered assault rifles fitted with telescopic lenses and other arms and high calibre ammunition.
The police said also that investigations are ongoing to determine the origin of the bullet-proof vehicle in which the men and items were found. According to one officer, only the military and police should have that kind of protective feature on their vehicles.
In the event that such a vehicle is imported by a civilian, this newspaper was told that authorisation from a very "high level" is needed first. But the source pointed out, too, that the bullet-proof glass could have been imported separately and fitted on the vehicle.
The blue open-back pick-up, bearing licence plate GHH 7539 is registered to what appears to be a non-existent company.
The men were arrested at about 10:45 pm Wednesday after an army patrol observed the "suspicious looking" vehicle within the Good Hope Housing Scheme, East Coast Demerara. A subsequent release from the joint services said the men were questioned and based on the answers given, the vehicle was searched, revealing the arms, ammunition, computer and other items.
Thereafter, the police raided several houses and arrested three more people as the search intensified on Thursday for guns and ammunition, illegal narcotics, and wanted men.
