Explosive device thrown at GNPL - two private residences targeted
By Kester Morris
The police are investigating three separate incidents in which flammable devices were thrown at various buildings early yesterday morning. The three attacks, said to have occurred between the hours of 0200 hrs and 0300 hrs, were aimed at two private residences--one in Peter Rose Street, Queenstown and the other at Mc Doom--while the last was said to have occurred at the Guyana National Printers Ltd (GNPL) in La Penitence. Stabroek News was yesterday able to confirm that the only building significantly damaged in the attack was the Guyana National Printers where an exploding firebomb destroyed an unknown quantity of paper. The owners of the private residences both reported that the missiles failed to explode after being thrown. Richard Edwards, the owner of the private residence in Peter Rose Street, told this newspaper that the missile was what is commonly called a "channa bomb". According to Edwards, the attack came at 0200 hrs, a time he was able to confirm because he was awake watching television in his living room. He said the channa bomb, consisting of a bottle containing gasolene, channa (chick peas) and three wicks, crashed through the window of his house which faced the road. The device failed to explode, but according to Edwards, the stench of gasolene was enough to cause him to run to the eastern window at the side of his house in an attempt to see if anybody was there. Edwards, who supports himself and his wife through his trade as a vendor, said that he saw someone at the corner of the street, but poor street lighting as well as a coconut tree in his yard prevented him from identifying the person. The police arrived five minutes after Edward's 911 call and, according to him, took statements in addition to gathering up the pieces of the device. William Ting-a-Kee, the 60-year-old resident of the house in Mc Doom told Stabroek News that the two missiles hitting his rented house at about 0235 hrs were not 'channa bombs' but flambeau-like devices filled with gasolene. He said that he had made the distinction to police officers who arrived shortly after and commented: "Another channa bomb". Ting-a-Kee who lives in the single flat home with his wife said that Tuesday's attack was the second such one in recent months. According to Ting-a-Kee, his home had come under attack on May 12, when a burning object had been thrown on the roof setting it alight. Tuesday's attack did not result in any substantial damage given that the two bottles crashed against the barred face of the verandah. And a security guard at GNPL said that the device was thrown at that building's upper flat at around 0200 hrs and exploded with a loud bang. The explosion and resulting fire was said to have destroyed some paper in the building. The exact damage could not be confirmed late yesterday as the guard on duty explained that she was not working on Monday night and was only able to report what she had been told. She did however say that both police and the Fire Department had been called to attend to the early morning fire. 
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