A total of nine persons, including the main suspect, are now in custody as the investigations continue into Sunday’s bomb attack at the Regent Street Mobil Service Station, which left a 6-year-old girl dead.

The prime suspect, Daniel Alexander Ramirez Peodomo, has been identified as a Venezuelan national who entered Guyana by boat from Venezuela illegally on Sunday morning, hours before the attack in Georgetown. Crime Chief, Deputy Commissioner of Police Wendell Blanhum, told reporters on Tuesday night that the suspect is cooperating with investigators and has already confessed to the crime.

Mr Blanhum said based on the investigations so far, the main terror suspect was supported in Guyana by other Venezuelans and Guyanese nationals. He said some of those persons are in custody. However, their identities have not been revealed.

“What I can confirm is that he came last Sunday at 8:00am and he was supported by other accomplices, both Venezuelans and Guyanese, and I will leave it there as the investigations are still ongoing”, Blanhum said.

At a Police Conference in March, then Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn, warned of the presence of Venezuelan “sleeper agents” in Guyana.

Since that warning, there have been three attacks by suspected Venezuelans in the country.

In May, the Police Outpost in East Ruimveldt came under attack after an explosive device was hurled at its gate and on the same night, the Guyana Power Company’s facility at Mandela Avenue also came under attack when an explosive device was hurled in its compound.

The Crime Chief would not say whether he sees a link between the two attacks earlier this year and Sunday’s attack at the gas station. He also said he would not offer a comment on the former Home Affairs Minister’s statement about “sleeper agents” in the country.

On Sunday’s attack at the gas station, the Crime Chief said the suspect told investigators that the device used in the terror attack was brought into Guyana by him and it was detonated using a switch.

The suspect reportedly detonated the explosive device after leaving a car that was parked in the vicinity of the gas station where he planted the device close to cooking gas cylinders.

The Crime Chief said he would not at this time offer any information about a suspected motive behind the attack as the investigation remains active. However, the Guyana Police Force indicated that its investigators are also working closely with regional and international counterparts, including INTERPOL, to verify the main suspect’s background and possible affiliations.

Crime Chief Blanhum said based on information received, the suspect appears to be a member of a Venezuelan criminal gang known as “R Syndicato”.

Police Commissioner Clifton Hicken told reporters that the suspect was arrested during an inter agency operation on Tuesday.

He said acting on credible information and through inter-agency coordination and field intelligence, the investigators were able to locate the suspect at Vergenoegen Sideline Dam, East Bank Essequibo, where he was captured in a coordinated operation led by a Superintendent.

The main suspect is expected to face murder and terrorism charges. The terrorism charge carries the death penalty.

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