CICPC allege that they have identified Catia gunmen that fired on GN

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Thursday, May 29, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

According El Mundo afternoon tabloid, the Police Detective Branch (CICPC) has confirmed that it has identified some of the masked men that last Saturday repelled National Guard (GN) soldiers attempting to remove a barricade of buses blocking access to Accion Democratica's (AD) "Assault on Catia." 

A group of 8 persons allegedly fired on crowds assembled in Peru Street and also on the GN soldiers on Avenida Sucre. A source has told El Mundo that some of the gunmen came from La Silsa barrio and police now claim that 28 persons were involved in the use of firearms and allegedly used a camouflaged Hidrocapital jeep. 

23 de Enero neighbors say that one group started mugging people on their way to work from 6.00 a.m. in the morning, giving rise to a theory that criminal gangs took advantage of the situation. One El Universal piece reports that neighbors in 23 de Enero blocks fought off masked groups, which would give credence to the above thesis. 

Opposition news media have been quick to point the finger at pro-government Tupamaros and Carapaica urban groups after locating an independent website operating out of 23 de Enero, showing hooded persons with automatic pistols and a FAL assault rifle walking the barrio.

Digging up other stories, one tabloid reports that 4 Bolivarian Circle members were wounded with gunshot and were treated at the Military Hospital thanks to the good offices of a government deputy. 

The CICPC has also revealed that the person shot and killed during Saturday's skirmishes was Modesto Matias Graterol Sucre and not, as some newspapers reported, Modesto Graterol Bastidas. According to police sources, the dead man had a rap sheet for car theft in October 1984, April 1985 and September 1992 ... and August 1985 for bodily assault and battery.   The police have announced that they are working on the hypothesis that the dead man was actively involved in Saturday's stand-off between opposition and government supporters.