First, the events that led to "ebou colly" speaking out

Date:       Sat, 15 Jan 2000
From:       TOMBONG SAIDY <[log in to unmask]>
Subject:   FOILED CONSPIRACY AND ATTEMPT TO OVERTHROW THE GAMBIA   GOVERNMENT

Gambia-l,

Below is a press release from The Department of State for the Interior

PEACE

Tombong Saidy

 PRESS RELEASE
15th January 2000
For Immediate Release

The Department of State for the Interior wishes to inform the general public
of a foiled conspiracy and attempt to overthrow the Government of the Republic
of The Gambia by unlawful means. The Intelligence Agency has for the past few
months been investigating information relating to a conspiracy to overthrow
the Government of The Gambia involving Lt. Almamo Manneh, Ordnance and
Logistics Officer - State Guard and Lt. Landing Sanneh (State Guard Commander) as ring
leaders. Several indicators, including an unauthorised and systematic
harassment of civilians at the Denton Bridge and elsewhere, intended to sow seeds of
discord amongst civilians under the direction of these two Officers confirmed
the information already received. This led the Intelligence Agency to further
monitor the activities of certain members of the State Guard under the
leadership of these two Officers. By Friday 14th January 2000, after their last
meeting at the office of the State Guard Commander, Lt. Sanneh, adequate evidence
was gathered to cause the security unit of the Presidential Guard to be on full
alert. After gathering evidence that preparatory activities leading to the
attempt were to commence in the early hours of Saturday 15th January 2000, a
security team was dispatched to move in with a view to arresting the leaders -
Lt. Almamo Manneh and Lt. Sanneh. Lt. Manneh was intercepted by the team at
Stink Corner on his way to Fajara and Yundum Barracks where according to the plan
he was supposed to take control and mobilise support for the operation. After
stopping him, the security team informed him that he was under arrest. He
immediately jumped out of his vehicle and opened fire. A shoot-out ensued leading
to his instant death. The security team proceeded to the residence of Lt.
Sanneh at Mile 7. Upon reaching the house, he was requested to open his door and
come out. He refused to comply upon realising that it was the security
officers. He thereafter switched off his house lights and tossed a grenade at them
from within the house, which exploded. The security Officers to cover and still
insisted that he come out of the house. He still refused to comply and opened
fire from within the house. There was a shoot-out in which he sustained
injuries. He was eventually overpowered and arrested. He is presently under the
custody of the security officers and is helping in the investigations. The general
public is assured that the situation is completely under control and there is
no cause for alarm or panic. Meanwhile investigations are underway with a view
to bringing everyone involved within the full scale of the law.
Department of State for The Interior Banjul

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To Search in the Gambia-L archives, go to: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/CGI/wa.exe?S1=gambia-l
To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to:
[log in to unmask]

To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface
at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~