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instances but I cannot say it was fresh. There was blood in
quite a few places.”
8.120.
Lt. Col. Cummings said that he never saw Jane McFarlane’s
property at 11 Wilton Hill Drive. Repairs to houses were carried out after 1 June
2010 and each house in Tivoli Gardens was searched twice. In the opinion of
Lt. Col. Cummings, where it was necessary for the Engineers to breach walls by
means of explosions to gain entry into the area of operation on 24 May that was
done, but such methods did not cause injury or fire.
Gunmen on High-Rise Buildings
8.121.
All of the JDF witnesses testified that, at various times and places
of the operation, they received heavy and sustained gunfire from gunmen
strategically located at various high-rise buildings.
8.122.
Capt. Garth Anderson said that, although he received no specific
complaints about property damage, “the majority appeared to have been caused
by gunshots”. On the other hand, he gave this evidence –
“I did not observe any houses being destroyed by fire in or
out of my sector. I did not observe any houses being
damaged on 24 or 25 May.”
8.123.
With regard to damage caused by residences, Capt. Anderson said
in oral evidence:
“There was systematic breaching of doors of citizens so that
innocent occupiers of houses would have been subjected to
this.”
8.124.
Lt. Col. Sewell did not discount the possibility of the complaints of
residents being true. He said –
“I do believe that some residents who made allegations
against the JDF may have been speaking the truth.”