Grenade attack was gang related tossed from among a small group of gang-bangers who had congregated around the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital

Failed grenade attack on Carnival Day, September 6th and the senseless shooting which disrupted the Carnival parade and sent hundreds fleeing for their lives can only be described as acts of terrorism.They were random attacks, directed at no one in particular, but at anyone in general. The purpose: to cause pandemonium, with no regard for the damage these acts may cause, or for public safety.There is no internationally agreed definition of terrorism. Most common definitions include only those acts which are intended to create fear (terror), are performed for an ideological goal and deliberately disregard the safety of non-combatants.Since the attacks did not target anyone in particular, and since they were meant to cause pandemonium by endangering people’s lives, many Belizeans have concluded that the Carnival attacks were terrorist in nature, intended to undermine public confidence in law enforcement. Not all are agreed that the attacks were intended to disrupt public order, however. Police insiders say the grenade attack was gang related. Certainly it was tossed from among a small group of gang-bangers who had congregated around the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital’s entry way. The shooting, which injured an innocent boy who happened to be standing near, was caused by a trigger-happy man who reacted violently to a beer bottle being tossed at his car.But the two incidents, coming together on the same day, within minutes of each other, provide reason to suspect that they were related, and the fact that gang people were involved in both incidents should not influence us too much. After all, if someone were trying to destablelize the government through acts of terrorism, who would he choose to carry out those acts? By their deeds you shall know them! By looking at the end result, sometimes you can find the motive for certain actions.The end result of the carnival attack was a substantial deflation of the Tenth spirit. Instead of a Memorial Park full of joyous people getting ready to celebrate, there were fewer than a few hundred. The fallout will also affect the Independence Day celebrations because many parents are preparing to withdraw their children from the traditional parades.If the Government of Belize is satisfied that the Carnival attack was indeed an act of sabotage, it has a duty and an obligation to do something to protect people from similar attacks, and to assert its authority as the Government of Belize.

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