The West New Britain (WNB) Provincial Police Commander (PPC), Peter Barkie has clarified that a recent social media post showing some youths committing Domestic Terrorism acts by portraying criminal like behaviors and issuing threats, was not made by youths in the province.
The social media content of the youths exposing their identity, displaying homemade firearms and distributing stolen goods among themselves, was assumed by many viewers to be conducted by youths from WNB; however, that was not the case.
Mr. Barkie later clarified to PNG Hausbung that this sort of behavior was considered as Domestic Terrorism and police will be extremely tough on those who commit this offence, not just in WNB but right throughout the country.
He said that police officers in WNB are very attentive to offensive posts on social media , and react to these cases when there is enough solid evidence to warrant an arrest or arrests.
Furthermore, he said that decisions have been made to categorize crimes of different nature to better prioritize the risks involved in each case to neutralize efficiently. Such as the case of displaying unlicensed and homemade firearms to scare the public on social media, is categorized as Domestic Terrorism and will gain the full attention of police.
“In Domestic Terrorism, police will move against these criminals with strength. The house and family supporting terrorism will be considered as accessories and be evicted from their homes, known as selective eviction.”
Although many rural communities in WNB isolated from main central locations may not fully grasp the penalties associated with the crime, Barkie said many families near the provincial capital Kimbe town are pleased with these actions of eviction conducted, as it has minimized the crime rates.