MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Gangs resume attacks on Sao Paulo police

Gang violence that is “terrorizing” Brazil's biggest and richest state may require emergency measures from the federal government, but local authorities must request help, signalled President Lula da Silva.

Some 70 coordinated pre-dawn attacks Wednesday on police stations, buses and buildings killed at least six people in Sao Paulo state.

Hours later President Lula da Silva said measures are needed to prevent attacks against common citizens, government staff and public and private property. "We must take measures" he said following what seems a resumption of a new offensive against the police by members of a prison-based gang.

"The bandits are provoking the police, terrorizing civil society, and we must react within the frame of the law, but we need to agree with the Sao Paulo authorities".

A police officer and his sister were among those slain in a score of coordinated pre-dawn attacks. Also killed were four security guards.

Wednesday's assaults were presumed to have been launched by members of the First Capital Command (PCC), a ruthless prison-based gang that controls drug and weapons trafficking in the slums of Sao Paulo and other cities.

The new attacks came two months after the organization launched a big offensive, which included some 300 attacks on police stations, buses and businesses that left more than 120 people dead. Among those killed in May were 41 policemen and prison guards, four civilians and 79 people authorities described as "suspected" gangsters.

Local and international human rights organizations decried what they said were rampant abuses by vengeance-seeking police during that crackdown, including the summary execution of suspects.

This Wednesday attackers caused extensive damage burning down at least 29 buses in several cities and firing homemade bombs and Molotov cocktails at two supermarkets, a bank branch and two used-car lots.

At least three police stations and two Military Police posts were also targeted it was officially reported in Sao Paulo.

The attacks came just hours after authorities announced the arrest of Emivaldo Silva Santos, a reputed PCC kingpin in the industrial zone known as ABC Paulista.