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| Brazil: Criminal gangs set buses alight in Sao Luis | Brazil: Criminal gangs set buses alight in Sao Luis |
| (4 days later) | |
| Criminal gangs in Brazil have set fire to four buses and attacked a police station in the north-eastern city of Sao Luis, authorities say. | Criminal gangs in Brazil have set fire to four buses and attacked a police station in the north-eastern city of Sao Luis, authorities say. |
| They say the order for the attack came from gang leaders arrested at the notorious Pedrinhas penitentiary, where at least 59 inmates died last year. | They say the order for the attack came from gang leaders arrested at the notorious Pedrinhas penitentiary, where at least 59 inmates died last year. |
| "The attacks are in reaction to recent measures to curb jail violence," said the Maranhao state government. | "The attacks are in reaction to recent measures to curb jail violence," said the Maranhao state government. |
| A six-year-old girl who was inside one of the buses suffered severe burns. | A six-year-old girl who was inside one of the buses suffered severe burns. |
| "Her mother asked the criminals not to harm the children, but they showed no mercy and set fire to the girl," a relative told O Globo newspaper. | "Her mother asked the criminals not to harm the children, but they showed no mercy and set fire to the girl," a relative told O Globo newspaper. |
| Four other people were injured in the attacks, which took place on Friday night in the outskirts of Sao Luis. | Four other people were injured in the attacks, which took place on Friday night in the outskirts of Sao Luis. |
| A police station was also attacked, with several shots fired from a passing car. | A police station was also attacked, with several shots fired from a passing car. |
| Eight suspects have been arrested, said Maranhao state Security Secretary Aluisio Mendes. | Eight suspects have been arrested, said Maranhao state Security Secretary Aluisio Mendes. |
| Extra troops had been deployed across the city, he added. | Extra troops had been deployed across the city, he added. |
| Beheadings | Beheadings |
| Local gangs were blamed for similar attacks in the Maranhao state capital earlier last year. | Local gangs were blamed for similar attacks in the Maranhao state capital earlier last year. |
| The authorities have linked the latest wave of violence to a recent report compiled by the federal government. | |
| The report by a judge highlighted violence inside the Pedrinhas penitentiary and put pressure on the state government to act, correspondents say. | The report by a judge highlighted violence inside the Pedrinhas penitentiary and put pressure on the state government to act, correspondents say. |
| Video taken inside the prison also shows the torture of one inmate at the hands of others - and cases of beheadings. | Video taken inside the prison also shows the torture of one inmate at the hands of others - and cases of beheadings. |
| Extra policemen have since been deployed inside Pedrinhas. But on Thursday two more bodies were found at the penitentiary. | Extra policemen have since been deployed inside Pedrinhas. But on Thursday two more bodies were found at the penitentiary. |
| Brazil has the world's fourth-largest prison population, with half a million inmates occupying spaces for 300,000. | Brazil has the world's fourth-largest prison population, with half a million inmates occupying spaces for 300,000. |