Former GDF officer may be key witness in Roger Khan drug trial
BY Staff

A retired Guyana Defence Force (GDF) officer may be used as a key witness against drug accused Roger Khan who has since sought to discredit any notion that they could have been co-conspirators in exporting drugs, alleging that he had exposed the former officer’s links to the criminal enterprise in Buxton.

The former army officer, who made the news on numerous occasions several years ago, and who in the past had received the personal attention of President Bharrat Jagdeo, was reportedly nabbed in the US and subsequently turned state witness.

From all indications, even before Khan was arrested in Trinidad and taken to the US, he had gotten wind of the possibility of the ex-officer testifying against him, after he (Khan) was named as a drug trafficker in the US 2006 drug report. He made “assorted accusations” against the former officer and others during his March 2006 meeting with US officials at the Ocean View Hotel. He sought to provide “evidence” that the man had worked in cohort with Shawn Brown, one of the five February 23, 2002 prison escapees. He had alleged that the then officer, who had been in charge of Operation Tourniquet in Buxton, was in league with Brown, who was responsible for kidnapping former US diplomat Stephen Lesniak.
Operation Tourniquet was established as part of the joint operations with the police and the army to arrest the wave of criminal activity on the lower East Coast by criminals who operated out of Buxton.
Since his name has been mentioned on several occasions in Khan’s case, there have been several questions about the whereabouts of the now ex-officer and whether he was still a member of the GDF.
Stabroek News contacted the army’s Public Relations Officer, Woman Colonel Windee Algernon, and she said that the man had retired. She explained that while he might not have reached the normal age of retirement there was a system in the army where an officer could retire based on the number of years served. However, Col Algernon could not say when he retired; whether he asked for early retirement or opted for same as she said she would have to check his file to get such information.

However, Stabroek News understands that the ex-officer, who had attained the rank of major, opted for early retirement and might be in the US at present. Sources have indicated to this newspaper that the man was well known to Khan and persons were aware that the two worked together, even though Khan now wanted to portray them as enemies. According to reliable information reaching this newspaper, the officer and his brother, who is now somewhere in the UK, were working for Khan during his reign in Guyana.

Recalled
Back in May 2003, the then captain was the only officer who President Jagdeo refused to promote from a long list of officers recommended for promotion. While the final authority for promotions rests with the Defence Board, before the move by the President in 2003 recommendations from the army had been accepted with no rejections.

The then captain was recommended by a promotions panel chaired by the then chief of staff, Brigadier Michael Atherly, based on the recommendation of his battalion commander. The commander’s recommendation was said to be based on the ex-officer’s attitude and performance in his substantive rank, his suitability for promotion to higher rank and authority as well as his suitability for retention in the army. That assessment was reached based on a recommendation of a promotion panel at the battalion level, which reviewed the ex-officer’s annual confidential reports and assessed his suitability.
The fact that the then captain was subsequently promoted to the rank of major brings into question the reason for President Jagdeo blocking his promotion in 2003.
The Minister of Defence, who is President Jagdeo, had also recalled the former officer from a training course in the USA, for which the GDF had selected him. The officer was halfway through the course when he was ordered to return to Guyana.

Stabroek News was told at that time that in the case of training overseas, except for officers of the rank of colonel and above, the convention was that the selection was made at the level of the GDF, but that the Minister of Defence had the final authority.

Reports at that time had also indicated that it was not the practice for the GDF to submit a list of officers sent for training overseas to the Defence Board, and it was a mystery as to how President Jagdeo knew that the officer had been sent on a training course in the USA.

Don’t shoot
Meanwhile, back in 2002 the then officer was one of the several others who had testified in the Linden London alias ‘Blackie’ inquest that the cornered fugitive was killed by a hail of bullets when he emerged from his hiding place with hands on his head, although another army officer had shouted pleas not to shoot.

He, along with the others, was recalling for the benefit of Coroner Melissa Robertson and a jury, what had happened when a joint police and army siege was laid to Toucan Suites apartment hotel at Eccles, on February 9, 2000, to capture the fugitive who had been wanted for murders and robberies.

The officer had said that the shots from which London fell were fired despite former army captain Wycliffe McAllister shouting:” Don’t shoot! Hold your fire!”

Subversive activities
When President Jagdeo had refused to promote the then officer, senior army sources at that time had told Stabroek News that nothing in the man’s record indicated that he had behaved in an inappropriate manner either during his assignment in Buxton or in the other locations at which he was stationed.
However, this was not the picture Roger Khan painted in a motion he filed through his lawyers.
That motion claimed that the then officer was so involved in criminal activities in Buxton that he delayed finding Lesniak, even though information of the location of the kidnapped man was provided.

The US has since sought to disallow any evidence about the ex-officer’s alleged criminal activities from the trial as they see it as “self serving” for Khan and irrelevant to the fact that the man trafficked in drugs.

While the prosecution has argued that any involvement of Khan in the diplomat’s release was irrelevant to the drug case, Khan’s lawyers had stated in the motion: “… the relevance of evidence pertaining to the Lesniak kidnapping is broader than the government addresses.

The fact that Lesniak was kidnapped and taken to the village of Buxton – about which fact he could testify – is significant. [Name of then GDF officer] was in charge of the military force responsible for bringing the Buxton criminals under control, but was in fact in league with them – including Shawn Brown, who kidnapped Lesniak.”
According to the lawyers, they had evidence that will show that the then officer was supportive of the kidnapping and deliberately delayed at a military checkpoint a search party, which had learned, through Khan’s intelligence activities, Lesniak’s precise location, and as such compromised the search.

The motion claimed that Khan coordinated with US agents in securing Lesniak’s release, and subsequently to end “[name of ex-GDF officer’s] subversive activities at Buxton”. The lawyers also stated that such evidence supported the conclusion that Khan and the ex-officer were enemies, and thus not likely co-conspirators.

Stabroek News
June 29, 2002

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The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) is reviewing Operation Tourniquet, which it launched on June 5 in support of the police, with a view to extending it to other areas of the country.

Operation Tourniquet is being conducted jointly with the police on the East Coast Demerara to address the unacceptable level of violent crime in that area.

The army and the police operate roadblocks, control points and patrol the general area.

Briefing members of the press yesterday at the Officers’ Mess, Camp Ayanganna, Colonel Andrew Pompey described the operation to date as a success as it had brought about a reduction of crime between Lusignan and Enmore on the East Coast.

He cited the arrest of Anthony Charles, the detention of Kerwin Jarvis, following the surveillance of a house and the apprehension and detention of a stolen vehicle. (See other story on page 10.)

He said too that the operation has allowed the police to patrol areas north of Buxton and expected soon to have them patrolling the southern part of the village.

Another success of the operations, though intangible, was the sense of security being felt by the community as a result of the presence of the army.

Col Pompey, however, bemoaned the presence of a "fringe group" which he said is bent on maintaining a state of lawlessness in Buxton and preventing its return to normality.

He said that after the arrest of Charles and Jarvis "we noted the agitation of community members by a known political activist, organised and not spontaneous protests by persons from Paradise and other areas outside Buxton. We also noted an orchestrated campaign to malign the GDF, abuse of our soldiers on patrol and efforts to provoke a response from our ranks on deployment. We observed that these acts are not totally supported by residents of Buxton but rather sustained by fringe elements that have rejected the traditional moral authority of village elders."

Col Pompey said that the fringe elements comprised some persons in Buxton whose activities attracted criminal elements from outside the community.

He called on the community members, the majority of whom, he said, were law-abiding to reject these elements and reclaim their community.

Col Pompey said that these elements had to be ostracised and dealt with by the community.

Police Commissioner (ag) Floyd McDonald at a press conference yesterday reported, "as a consequence of a joint operation between the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Defence Force to retrieve a stolen car, certain criminal elements again dug up a portion of the road in that area (Buxton)."

The commissioner appealed to "those persons who indulge in this negative practice to desist from destroying public property and breaking the law, and assist us in our effort to ensure law and order."

Responding to questions about the alleged presence in the Buxton community of the five February 23 prison escapees who reports say live in safe houses, Colonel Gordon Benn asserted that army patrols of the area from Lusignan to Enmore including the backlands have uncovered no criminal activity or the presence of any criminals in the area.

Another officer, Colonel Bruce Lovell said that in the army’s area of operations no building was sacrosanct and once intelligence was developed about a building appropriate action would be taken.

Col Pompey said that since its deployment to the East Coast, the army has enjoyed cordial relations with the residents there despite the efforts of a few persons bent on promoting lawlessness.

Responding to reports that a recent incident at Buxton had been sparked by the army’s mistreatment of a youth from the area, Col Benn asserted that the reports were inaccurate. He said that the army had audio and videotapes that would give the lie to the report.

Also, he asserted that the troops exercised tremendous restraint in the face of provocation and that their behaviour was testimony to their professionalism and training.

Mara,

First, thanks for the news item from June 29, 2002, the same year that Guyana experienced the Mash Day jailbreak and the escapees went on a spree. It names three GDF officers who spoke about the Buxton criminal elements at the time:

1. Andrew Pompey
2. Bruce Lovell
3. Gordon Benn

Juding from the fact that the lead speaker quoted directly and indirectly in this news article, it could be implied that Andrew Pompey was in charge of the Buxton operation. He was said to have given up a major overseas appointment with the UN Peackeepers to consider a top offer in the GDF from Jagdeo. Apparently he thought he was going to be named head honcho of the army, but after Jagdeo picked Best over Pompey and named Pompey deputy to Best in the army shake up, little or nothing is being heard of Pompey today.

There has been no official word of Pompey being retired or having resigned, so he can't be THE ex-officer! Where is Pompey anyway?

Second, juding from the SN article at the top of the thread, dated Sunday, September 21, 2008, Roger Khan is explicitly saying that the ex-GDF officer in charge of "Operation Tourniquet" actually conspired with prison escapee Shawn Brown, in the kidnapping of US diplomat Lesnik.

"...even before Khan was arrested in Trinidad and taken to the US, he had gotten wind of the possibility of the ex-officer testifying against him, after he (Khan) was named as a drug trafficker in the US 2006 drug report. He made “assorted accusations” against the former officer and others during his March 2006 meeting with US officials at the Ocean View Hotel. He sought to provide “evidence” that the man had worked in cohort with Shawn Brown, one of the five February 23, 2002 prison escapees. He had alleged that the then officer, who had been in charge of Operation Tourniquet in Buxton, was in league with Brown, who was responsible for kidnapping former US diplomat Stephen Lesniak."

Further, this officer had attracted the attention of President Jagdeo in 2003 who denied him a promotion and recalled him while he was half way through an overseas training program.

In summation, I don't think Pompey was a co-conspirator with the Buxton elements, and he certainly can't be John Doe. No. 1 who conspired with Khan to deal drugs!

Lovell, I think is showing up everyday in Guyana at a government desk job in Georgetown biding his time for when he is eligible for retirement benefits, so he can't be a co-conspirator with the Buxton elements nor Khan's drug shenanigans!

That leaves only Benn!

Where is BENN? In Guyana or America?

Is Benn John Doe. No. 1?

Both Pompey and Lovell and Best were on the short list to succeed Collins. In fact, my recollection is Pompey was the first choice while he was on a UN overseas assignment, and initially declined, only to reconsider later after Best was approached. While Benn outranked both Pompey and Lovell, and Best in terms of seniority I believe he along with Lawrence Paul, and Bishpan were never given consideration for the COS postition.

I don't think Benn was the Commander of Operation Tourniquet. Benn is a Colonel while that individual was a Captain who only rose to the rank of Major after he was initially declined promotion by Jagdeo around 2003 because of his suspected collusion with criminals in Buxton. I would wager a toony that this individual was never a confederate of Roger Khan- more likely an adversary and covert operative of a rival gang, who was responsible for the 'Lap Top Bust' at Good Hope.

Commentary
guyanacaribbeanpolitics.com

The masterminds are not from Buxton by Eusi Kwyana

Posted October 31st. 2002

In a letter to the Stabroek News Mr. Tacuma Ogunseye says in part " I am 100% certain that if the President and his party do the correct thing, that is if they summon the will and go to Buxton they will be given a hearing and their meeting will be as peaceful as the one Mr. Hoyte and the PNC/R held. Having said this I must add that it would be very unwise and self-defeating for the ruling party to believe that it can talk Buxton out of resistance and struggle. The leadership of the Buxton resistance in many ways is as sophisticated as any political leadership in the country. They know when to engage and when to disengage."

Since this opinion in the public press concerns a little spot where I have lived for 70 of my 77 years, perhaps too long in the opinion of many, I dare to make a few timid comments on his bold and confident declarations. He assures President Jagdeo that the PPP/C should go to Buxton and assures him that provided they are polite they will get a peaceful hearing, as Mr. Hoyte and the PNC did. May I remind Brother Ogunseye that he and Dr. Hinds spoke at a WPA meeting on the night before the March 2001 elections and that a crowd of about one hundred was all that they could muster. True, it was a peaceful wake. Mr. Ogunseye may be right in his opinion.

For myself, I declined to speak at any election meeting at that election because it was clear to me where the crowds were heading and why. Yet I was a WPA polling agent next day in the village. The PPP/C held its Congress in August at Rose Hall, which, unlike Buxton is a PPP stronghold. Please recall that the last night of the Congress brought tragedy to Rose Hall. I was in the USA, but whoever thought that the motive of that armed party which landed by boat at Rose Hall was robbery has not begun to think.

That landing was clearly not an act of "the people of Rose Hall". So too, it is not a matter of what "the people of Buxton". will do. It has always been an indefinite number of younger men from Buxton without a doubt, and also from elsewhere, organized by masterminds, around a core of criminal suspects and convicted persons. Buxton had nothing direct to do with Rose Hall, but it is my opinion, from a series of signals, that the same masterminds who fan the flames at Buxton were more directly involved at Rose Hall. The dynamics of the situation are no longer hidden. In this country the associates of those master-minds have said openly to others that Buxton is their base.

This means Buxton is being used by this "sophisticated political leadership", against the interest of her people. I hope Mr.Ogunseye is not part of any plot to tempt a high official into our village, so that if some crazy plan is attempted, Buxton will get the full weight of the blame.

The "sophisticated leadership" will rejoice at that, as their cleverness will allow their own blame to be cast on others. Political "loneliness" has never bothered me. Mr. Ogunseye should not strain readers' trust by talking as if the "sophisticated political leadership" at Buxton is of Buxton origin. Mr. Blair, whom I am naming for the first time, in case he is capable of redemption, is not his own master. Wise, innocent Buxtonians of all ages exist, but they are not controlling what happens there.

The control is in the hands of "sophisticated " leaders from outside. Those young men with guns are being used and it seems that they are either paid, or are told to pay themselves. They are "sophisticated". Yet, except for Benschop from prison they say not one word against the very, very ugly attacks on innocent persons, first of another race, and now of any race. Is that what Mr. Ogunseye calls "resistance"?

I will guess where they are sophisticated. I have nothing at this stage to say about the remarks reported from the Hon. Leader of the Opposition. His speech has already drawn more attention to his credit as a witness than I would have wished to do. However, I may have to examine his role, and the role of the ruling party and of His Excellency the President before long.

As for Mr.Ogunseye's more recent claim that he is carrying out the work of Walter Rodney, I remind him only of Rodney's funeral procession, which began at Buxton-Annandale and included people of all races. Since my marriage (1971) to a born USA citizen I have not applied for a green card.

I am only now thinking of it. Soon I shall have to be seeking permission to prolong my stay here. Buxton is the only place in Guyana where I have living arrangements within my capacity. Not one of my friends, here or at home, thinks I should rush home because of the pattern of events and the mind-set of Mr. Ogunseye's "resistance". And I do not want to be there under the protection of the self-styled Taliban. Mr. Lye's play on the "dogs of war" as applied to people in combat is really very old. He should realise now what we mean by war propaganda.

Both Pompey and Lovell are a current part of the Army's top Hierarchy.

The officer in question who could allegedly be John Doe No. 1 is neither of those three mentioned. I like a few other posters know who that officer is but it would be very dangerous for that ex officer and his family for anyone to post or mention his name with Assassins in the lurk to eliminate that ex officer and their families. I think if you mention that name you may feel the wrath of the American Justice System.

quote:

Originally posted by Mara:
Both Pompey and Lovell and Best were on the short list to succeed Collins. In fact, my recollection is Pompey was the first choice while he was on a UN overseas assignment, and initially declined, only to reconsider later after Best was approached. While Benn outranked both Pompey and Lovell, and Best in terms of seniority I believe he along with Lawrence Paul, and Bishpan were never given consideration for the COS postition.

I don't think Benn was the Commander of Operation Tourniquet. Benn is a Colonel while that individual was a Captain who only rose to the rank of Major after he was initially declined promotion by Jagdeo around 2003 because of his suspected collusion with criminals in Buxton. I would wager a toony that this individual was never a confederate of Roger Khan- more likely an adversary and covert operative of a rival gang, who was responsible for the 'Lap Top Bust' at Good Hope.

Good reasoning!

quote:

Originally posted by Lion King:
Both Pompey and Lovell are a current part of the Army's top Hierarchy.

The officer in question who could allegedly be John Doe No. 1 is neither of those three mentioned. I like a few other posters know who that officer is but it would be very dangerous for that ex officer and his family for anyone to post or mention his name with Assassins in the lurk to eliminate that ex officer and their families. I think if you mention that name you may feel the wrath of the American Justice System.

Who gives a rats ass about the American Justice system? It is perhaps one of the most corrupt, selective and selfserving system in the world whenever and wherever justice, truth and fairness conflict with so called American Self Interest Wasn't Roger Khan, the fugitive from American Justice meeting and planning rescue strategy with American Law enforcement while Steve Lesniak were being held in Buxton by FF? Didn't senior Embassy and Security personell meet with the same Roger Khan at the Ocean View Hotel mere days or hours before he was indicted by a grand jury in NY?

Roger Khan may be a henious drug lord, a ruthless killer and a lot more, but the American had absolutely no qualms in meeting and sratagizing with him, only to immediately turn around and throw his ass in jail as soon as soon as they realized that he was becoming a dangerous liability. Khan seriously misplayed his hands when he turned over copies of the Felix / Williams tapes to the Americans.

A logical deduction would eliminate Camp Buxton Commanding Officer as a member of Roger Khan's gang. More likely he was in cahoot with the Buxton FF and had ventured beyond his normal scope of operation the night he intercepted the Good Hope Trio.Recall Det. Sgt. Kooseeram was shot in broad day light by a gunman who calmly walked away while an Army patrol which was within shouting distance, failed to respond. I believe at the time, the silly excuse from Camp Buxton commander for their indifference to this crime, was that soldiers were not criminal investigator but merely there to asist the police in preserving the peace.

Perhaps therein lie the reason for the President to stimmy his promotion and aborted his overseas training course.

Jagdeo blocks promotion of Camp Buxton commander
-recalls him from US training course

President Jagdeo has taken the unprecedented action of blocking the promotion of an army officer, Captain Vidad Reckal. Moreover, as Minister of Defence he directed that Reckal be recalled from a training course in the United States for which the Guyana Defence Force had selected him.

Captain Reckal was halfway through the course when he was ordered to return to Guyana. During the past year, Reckal had served as Commander of Camp Buxton, which the GDF established as part of the joint operations with the police to arrest the wave of criminal activity on the lower East Coast by criminals who operate out of the village.

The Information Liaison to the President, Robert Persaud refused to offer a comment on the issue and referred ********** to the Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force, Brigadier Michael Atherly.

******* was unable to contact Atherly but a senior source in the GDF informed this ***** that the final authority for promotions rested with the Defence Board. However, in the past the recommendations of the GDF have been accepted and the officer could not recall the rejection of any officer so recommended.

Other sources however have told *********** that while no name had ever been rejected there was a recent case of a name of an officer attached to the Office of the President being added to the list.

Asked if there was a requirement for an explanation to be given where an officer's promotion was turned down, the senior source told ******** that one would be expected save for some reason of national security.

The senior source also explained that in the case of training overseas, except for officers of the rank of Colonel and above, the convention is that the selection is made at the level of the GDF, but that the Minister of Defence, who is the President, has the final authority.

It is also not the practice for the GDF to submit a list of officers sent for training overseas to the Defence Board, and the source said it was still to ascertain how President Jagdeo knew that Reckal had been sent on a training course in the USA.

Capt Vidad Reckal was recommended for promotion after a promotions panel chaired by the Chief of Staff, Brigadier Michael Atherly, approved the recommendation of Reckal battalion commander. The battalion commander's recommendation was based on Reckal's attitude and performance in his substantive rank, his suitability for promotion to higher rank and authority as well as his suitability for retention in the army. This assessment was reached based on a recommendation of a promotion panel at the battalion level, which reviewed Reckal's annual confidential reports and assessed his suitability for promotion.

Senior army sources have told ********that nothing in Reckal's record indicated that he had behaved in an inappropriate manner either during his assignment in Buxton or in the other locations at which he was stationed.

Until now Reckal has not been told why he was turned down for promotion or why he was recalled from the training course he was attending.

Some observers feel that Reckal's recall will now force the authorities to inform him of the reasons for turning down his promotion as is the practice in the GDF.

Mara,

I noted you dedacted the source of the article, and you did not mention the date of the article.

Another source has given another name, but I am not sure where this other named person is right now. Where he is right now makes a difference in determining who exactly is John Doe. No. 1.

So, here is my question to you: Where is Vidad Reckal right now? According to the SN article at the top, this prime witness was NABBED in the US and has turned State witness. What he got nabbed was for was never stated, but based on the SN article, it seems as though Khan is accusing a GDF officer of being in concert with Buxton criminals in the Lesnik kidnap, which Khan reportedly unraveled.

So is it possible the GDF officer that you identify as Reckal, was nabbed in connection with the kidnap of Lesnik and decided to turn State witness against Khan in the drug conspiracy case?

According to other news on the US prosecutors, Khan's lawyer paid the US informant $1000 (probably down payment) to have a Phantom Squad member 'eliminate' or 'neutralize' this John Doe. No. 1, who is a prime witness against Khan. By mentioning 'Phantom Squad', one's mind immediately turns to Guyana, not the US, so I am assuming right now that this Reckal character and his mother are in the same place in Guyana.

Moreover, given Khan's precarious state in a US lockdown, why would he specifically request that this John Doe No. 1 character be eliminated, but not his mother. If Khan knows Doe No. 1's mother then he obviously knows John Doe No. 1! Isn't that a big give away right there that Khan probably worked with Doe No. 1 in the past?


DID KHAN AND THE GDF OFFICER CONSPIRE TO KIDNAP THE US DIPLOMAT SO KHAN COULD COME TO THE DIPLOMAT'S RESCUE AND DIRECTLY ENGAGE US AGENTS WITH THE AIM OF HAVING US AUTHORITIES VIEW KHAN AS A SAVIOR RATHER THAN A DRUG BARON, AS PER THE US DRUG REPORT FOR 2006?

quote:

Originally posted by Communicator:
Mara,

I noted you dedacted the source of the article, and you did not mention the date of the article.

Another source has given another name, but I am not sure where this other named person is right now. Where he is right now makes a difference in determining who exactly is John Doe. No. 1.

So, here is my question to you: Where is Vidad Reckal right now? According to the SN article at the top, this prime witness was NABBED in the US and has turned State witness. What he got nabbed was for was never stated, but based on the SN article, it seems as though Khan is accusing a GDF officer of being in concert with Buxton criminals in the Lesnik kidnap, which Khan reportedly unraveled.

So is it possible the GDF officer that you identify as Reckal, was nabbed in connection with the kidnap of Lesnik and decided to turn State witness against Khan in the drug conspiracy case?

According to other news on the US prosecutors, Khan's lawyer paid the US informant $1000 (probably down payment) to have a Phantom Squad member 'eliminate' or 'neutralize' this John Doe. No. 1, who is a prime witness against Khan. By mentioning 'Phantom Squad', one's mind immediately turns to Guyana, not the US, so I am assuming right now that this Reckal character and his mother are in the same place in Guyana.

Moreover, given Khan's precarious state in a US lockdown, why would he specifically request that this John Doe No. 1 character be eliminated, but not his mother. If Khan knows Doe No. 1's mother then he obviously knows John Doe No. 1! Isn't that a big give away right there that Khan probably worked with Doe No. 1 in the past?


DID KHAN AND THE GDF OFFICER CONSPIRE TO KIDNAP THE US DIPLOMAT SO KHAN COULD COME TO THE DIPLOMAT'S RESCUE AND DIRECTLY ENGAGE US AGENTS WITH THE AIM OF HAVING US AUTHORITIES VIEW KHAN AS A SAVIOR RATHER THAN A DRUG BARON, AS PER THE US DRUG REPORT FOR 2006?

Communicator,

The reason I redacted the article is perhaps the same reason the news media have witheld the name of the Officer in question- to protect his family.

I believe by critical analysis of past events, that had wide coverage in the local media one can deduce with some degree of certainity that the rank in question could never have been a confederate of Roger Khan, but more likely an adversary that was firmly ensconsed in the camp of the Buxton FF. Reflect on the following points:

1. The Commander of Camp Buxton ventured beyond his normal scope of operation to intercept Roger Khan, Sean Benfield and Haroon Yaha at Good Hope. ( at least 4 villages away, Strathspey, Bladen Hall & Fouls Good Hope) Why would he want to jeopradize the operation of his own gang?

2. The Govt. who were the benefactor of the Phantom Gang, obviously could not have been pleased with this bust. It is no secret that the President was very disappointed with the results of the Joint Services operations in Buxton.

3. When the Commander of Camp Buxton was recommended for promotion, the President rejected that promotion and recalled this officer midway through an overseas course.

4. If this officer was a confederate of Roger Khan and Roger Khan is a friend of Jagdeo, ( as everyone have been saying) then why would Jagdeo go to such extent to stimmy the promotion of a mutual friend? This does not make any logical sense.

I find it rather comical that the US would contend that Roger Khan was preemptive in trying to "implicate this officer even before Khan was arrested in Trinidad and taken to the US, he had gotten wind of the possibility of the ex-officer testifying against him, after he (Khan) was named as a drug trafficker in the US 2006 drug report. He made “assorted accusations” against the former officer and others during his March 2006 meeting with US officials at the Ocean View Hotel. He sought to provide “evidence” that the man had worked in cohort with Shawn Brown, one of the five February 23, 2002 prison escapees. He had alleged that the then officer, who had been in charge of Operation Tourniquet in Buxton, was in league with Brown, who was responsible for kidnapping former US diplomat Stephen Lesniak.'

At the end of the day, I have absolutely no doubt that:

1. It would be established that Captain Vidad Reckal along with other serving and former Officers of the GDF were part and parcle of the Buxton gang, which had its genisis at Congress Place. Fortunately/ unfortunately ( depending on where one is standing) the Felix /Williams tapes was the first chink in the armour. Secondly, the beast got too big to quickly , and the masters lost all control.

This is an interesting take. It's a little late, so I'll reread this and offer my response. But I still have to say I find it rather strange that 1) the Phantom Squad was a beneficiary to the PPP government at the height of a crisis, but the President never knew Roger Khan. And 2) the Buxton criminal gangs had a working relationship with certain army officers and Congress Place, but no army officer nor PNC official was ever arrested and charged. WHY?

Tomorrow!