Police unravelling web of Health Ministry’s arsonists

– new info to be supplied to U.S. authorities

In wake of the capture of wanted arsonist and confessed killer Colin Jones, police investigators here have been able to get more information from the suspect. New information emerging has implicated an alleged mastermind, now living in the U.S. 

According to Police Commissioner Henry Greene, the alleged mastermind is known, and might have been involved in financing the operations of Jones’s criminal gang. Police are also soon expected to find out who sourced the AK-47 rifles which were recovered from the gang’s makeshift camp at Kara Kara, Linden. Greene could not say whether the weapons belong to the Guyana Defence Force, but he noted that the police will soon find out from where they were stolen. 

“We have asked for a trace, and it wouldn’t take too long,” the police chief added. Investigators are also expected to bring closure to at least one murder which Jones and his accomplices allegedly committed last year. 

 “Yes, we have information from the suspect on the man who was found tied up on the highway, and another found dead…an ID parade will be done, and that is the matter we expect to get closure on,” Greene said.  

Addressing media operatives at a handingover ceremony held at Tactical Services Unit Drill Square, Eve Leary, the police chief noted that the new information received will be supplied to U.S. authorities, and they will continue their search for the suspect who has been accused of aiding and abetting Jones and his now dead accomplices for several months. 

Apart from the new information that has surfaced, Greene disclosed, since the firebombing of the Health Ministry Building, the police have been in contact with U.S. authorities regarding the financier of the criminals. “We will supply the U.S. with current information that we have, and also what we have been told by the suspect who is in custody, and they will take it from there… We have all the previous information in relation to the fire and the links to the person overseas, of whom we are aware,” Greene added. 

Keith “General” Ferreira, who was also implicated in the Health Ministry’s fire, is still at large, and Greene said the police have received information that he may be overseas. 

Ferrier and Jones, along with four other suspects, have also been implicated in the November 4, 2009 mayhem in Georgetown and on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway. Gunmen murdered a man on the Soesdyke Linden Highway, set fire to the Supreme Court Registry and the Richard Ishmael Secondary School, and shot up the Brickdam Police Station and the East Ruimveldt Police Outpost.   

Greene said the four other men have been identified by their call names. “We have those names, and (we are) currently searching for those persons…We will be putting out wanted bulletins. (Although) we don’t have the correct names of these suspects, we have the info where they might be living …,” Green added.  

This newspaper asked Greene whether there was a possibility of other makeshift camps or hideouts being in the area. The commissioner explained that a thorough search was conducted in the area, and there is little possibility of another camp being in the area. “….this has been the second raid on that area… we did a raid one week ago, and we found two camps unoccupied; but at that time we did not find the camps which these guys were occupying.

“Following the bombing of the ministry, former Chief Magistrate Juliet Holder-Allen and several political activists were taken into custody after police received information that her vehicle may have transported the arsonists. Questioned on whether the police might be interested in these people in light of the new information supplied by Jones, Greene said that, if the need arises, necessary action will be taken.  

Whatever needs to be done in terms of where the evidence leads us will be done.

“At this point in time, where ever it leads us … we will go…If we have to call her back, or any person back, we will do so,” Greene responded.  

In late July 2009, Jones and Kurt Thierens, called “Bage” or “Glasses”, of Middle Walk, Buxton, who were suspects in the Health Ministry’s arson, escaped from the Providence Police Station lock-up.

On Friday last, Jones was captured by police while walking in Linden. He later led them to two shallow graves containing the bodies of Thierens and Adriano Tracey of William Street, Kitty, Georgetown. Jones reportedly confessed to killing the men because he believed they had wanted to “bring him down”.