Brigadier Joe Theodore was testifying at the commission of enquiry into the failed 1990 Muslimeen coup. Theodore said the instruction to Clarke, who helped negotiate an end to the uprising, was that the Muslimeen members must lay down their arms.
Theodore said the Muslimeen were ready to surrender two days after the uprising began on Jul 27 but their understanding was that they would surrender with their arms.
Theodore said Clarke told him that he conveyed the message of a full surrender to the Muslimeen but that Clarke later admitted that he was “not sure" that he told them specifically about laying down their arms.
“Bilal was left with the impression that they could come out with their arms,” Theodore said. “He said, ‘we have an agreement that we should not be required to lay down our arms’."
Theodore said he informed the leader of the rebel group at the Red House, Bilal Abdullah, that keeping the weapons was not part of the agreement to release the hostages, who included then Prime Minister Arthur N.R. Robinson.
Theodore said he subsequently found out that the Muslimeen attempted to create confusion and division among the defence personnel and others trying to end the impasse.
He said the insurgents tried to give the hostages the impression that it the army was holding up their release.
He said that Clarke's role as a mediator became redundant after the army started dealing directly with the Muslimeen through Abdullah.
Theodore also said that he had to fire national security minister Selwyn Richardson who had agreed to let the insurrectionists surrender with their weapons.
“I told Richardson I had problems with the weapons coming out," Theodore said. He added that Richardson told him that the Muslimeen had reduced the number of weapons at the state television station from 15 to 10.
Theodore said. “I told him...one of the conditions for the Muslimeen coming out was that they were to do so unarmed.”
“Bilal was left with the impression that they could come out with their arms,” Theodore said. “He said, ‘we have an agreement that we should not be required to lay down our arms’."
Theodore said he informed the leader of the rebel group at the Red House, Bilal Abdullah, that keeping the weapons was not part of the agreement to release the hostages, who included then Prime Minister Arthur N.R. Robinson.
Theodore said he subsequently found out that the Muslimeen attempted to create confusion and division among the defence personnel and others trying to end the impasse.
He said the insurgents tried to give the hostages the impression that it the army was holding up their release.
He said that Clarke's role as a mediator became redundant after the army started dealing directly with the Muslimeen through Abdullah.
Theodore also said that he had to fire national security minister Selwyn Richardson who had agreed to let the insurrectionists surrender with their weapons.
“I told Richardson I had problems with the weapons coming out," Theodore said. He added that Richardson told him that the Muslimeen had reduced the number of weapons at the state television station from 15 to 10.
Theodore said. “I told him...one of the conditions for the Muslimeen coming out was that they were to do so unarmed.”
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