98 / 494
97
Maj. Williams and DCP Hinds
5.16.
According to Maj. Mahatma Williams, the joint plan being
developed by the joint planning team required regular revision “as Intelligence
came in”. Paras.12 and 13 of his witness statement are to this effect:-
“12. As we received Intelligence pictures showing the
sandbag defences, the barrier plans, and the sentry system
established in Tivoli Gardens, we concluded that this was
typical urban warfare which we call ‘Fighting in Built Up
areas’ (FIBUA). It was clear that the defences were built to
inflict mass casualty and destruction against the Security
Forces while allowing the Tivoli gunmen the opportunity to
withdraw to pre-planned fighting and firing positions.
13. Intelligence suggested that IEDs were placed in the
barriers, some of which had 100lb [gas] cylinders concealed
therein.”
5.17.
DCP Hinds described the fortification of Tivoli Gardens on 20 May
2010 in his witness statement:
“After the protesters returned to the community of Tivoli
Gardens, they started barricading the community with debris
including old vehicles, gas cylinders and concrete boulders.
This fortification continued over the next three days.
Intelligence was that men from several areas of Jamaica
were recruited into Tivoli Gardens, where they joined forces
with men from Tivoli Gardens and were patrolling the
community with high-powered weapons. The barricaded
areas were reinforced with explosives and live electrical
wires which increased the risk to the security forces going
into the community.”
5.18.
The JDF was obliged to develop counter measures to respond to
the threats offered by the gas cylinders and the Grizzly .50 calibre sniper rifle.
Thus, they reinforced patrol vehicles with sandbags strapped to the bonnets and
dashboards to provide some cover for the operators and the vehicles.
5.19.
During the proceedings of the Enquiry, we saw film and
photographic evidence of the fortification of Tivoli Gardens while it was actually