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used by gunmen but the JDF repelled attacks from that location “and took
control of the building”. As Col. Andrew Sewell emphasised:
“Domination of the community involved sitting on top of
these buildings.”
6.19.
Since the operation took place on a public holiday, the commercial
buildings were closed to business but some were taken over by gunmen.
Residential buildings were, for the most part, occupied.
6.20.
Capt. Garth Anderson also testified that high-rise residential
buildings in Lizard Town were similarly used by gunmen as strategic points for
armed resistance. From these buildings, they fired on the security forces and
“pinned them down” in the Coronation Market, east of Tivoli Gardens. Buildings
22 to 27 were allegedly also used by gunmen during the operation. These were
close to Spanish Town Road.
6.21.
High-rise residential buildings close to Java were used as sites from
which gunfire was directed at the security forces to prevent them from entering
Industrial Terrace. We have already referred to the evidence of L/Cpl. McLennon
in which he related the circumstances under which he came under fire from
high-rise buildings,
inter alia
, when he was attempting to clear a blockade on
Industrial Terrace.
Early Warning System – The Human and Electronic Elements
6.22.
Maj. Williams provided the Commission with a description of the
network of sentries who were part of the human element of the system of
fortification. He said in oral evidence –
“We were briefed about the sentry system, the guard system
that they had established...They would be given a particular
location that they were required to be at and we were
shown photographs of some of them and the gunmen who
were there. And they would be given “arcs of fire” or “arcs