52 Dead As Brazilian Gang Continues Attacks on Police; 244 Guards Held Hostage in Prison Revolts

SAO PAULO, Brazil May 14, 2006 (AP)— A notorious criminal gang unleashed a second wave of attacks against police Sunday, bringing to at least 52 the number of people killed in what one official said was the deadliest assault of its kind in Brazil's history.

Meanwhile, another 33 related prison rebellions also broke out on Sunday, bringing the number of penitentiary revolts across Sao Paulo state to 51 at the peak of the two-day uprising more than one-third of Brazil's 144 prisons. By late Sunday, rebellions continued at 41 prisons, and inmates were holding 229 prison guards hostage. ...

The Sao Paulo state government said the PCC carried out at least 100 separate attacks on Friday, Saturday and Sunday that killed at least 35 police officers, the girlfriend of one of them and two passers-by. Fourteen suspected gang members were killed in gunbattles with police.

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