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10.141.
The mortar had a range of about 3 miles, but “we chose to go
within 1000 metres of the furthest target and approximately 600 metres from the
Seprod perimeter fence and 800 metres from the area just South of the sports
complex. The Mortar Firers (Mortar Line) were South of Marcus Garvey Drive
near the old Sardine factory”.
Safety Procedures
10.142.
Maj. Dixon pointed out to the Commission that “the mortar is not a
pinpoint weapon system but it is designed to be fired within plus or minus 1
metre accuracy.” Accordingly, he had to take into account a number of factors
including the possibility of human error, the condition of equipment,
meteorological conditions, the nature of the ground where the mortar would land
and the time of flight of the round.
10.143.
When questioned about the distances within which the mortar
could be fired safely, Maj. Dixon mentioned the following:
The “predicted safety distance” was 550 metres from the
point of burst”; “operational safety distance” was 200
metres; “reduced safety distance” (i.e. the distance beyond
which one shrapnel from the round may travel) was 400
metres; “the danger zone” of a round was a radius of 90
metres, that is to say, a radius within which shrapnel may
cause injury; “the lethal area” was 40 metres.
He said that allowance had to be made for “bedding-in” when there could be
shifts in the baseline after the first round is fired.
10.144.
Maj. Dixon stated in oral evidence that he had no practical
experience of firing mortars in built-up areas and he agreed that shrapnel could
cause lethal injury and some types of mortar (but not the type used on 24 May)
could cause phosphorous burns. He did not agree that a human being could be
lifted off the ground as a result of an exploding mortar.