Dear Editor,

I write regarding last week’s early-morning operation in Sterling Castle said to be linked to the search for Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke in which Mr Keith Clarke was reported killed by the security forces.

Am I the only one who finds it very hard to believe that police and soldiers were involved in a gun battle for hours with heavily armed gunmen, all of whom – we are asked to believe – seemingly vanished into thin air?

The security forces would have us believe that they are incapable of setting up a simple perimeter around a residence?

If the residence in question is like the majority of houses with two to four entrances and exits, couldn’t the “hundreds” of soldiers present ensure that no gunmen were allowed to leave the property?

It is either that there were in fact no gunmen – at which point one would have to wonder who shot the four soldiers and who were being shot at by the soldiers for hours – or there is far more to this operation than we have been told.

I do hope the proper authorities can explain this, in addition to clearing up the rumour that more than one hearse visited the premises that day, when supposedly only Mr Clarke’s body was there to be retrieved.

We want the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. In its absence rumours will continue to circulate, further eroding what little trust the public has in the security forces!

D Lewin

Kingston