GANG WARFARE PUTS JAMAICA UNDER STATE OF EMERGENCY

Jamaican authorities Sunday put Kingston under a state of emergency
and urged people to leave the city's roughest neighbourhoods, as
police clashed with armed gangs over the possible extradition of a
drug suspect to the United States.

A police officer and a civilian were wounded by gunfire in street
clashes, and three police stations came under attack, police said.
One station was set ablaze after officers abandoned it, having run
out of bullets.

Police charged that gunmen from various communities across this
Caribbean country of 2.8 million had joined forces with criminal
elements in Tivoli Gardens in a bid to protect reputed gang leader
Christopher "Dudus" Coke.

"It is now clear that criminal elements are determined to launch
co-ordinated attacks on security forces," police warned.

With tensions soaring, they added, "all decent and law-abiding
residents of Tivoli Gardens and Denham Town are being asked to leave
those respective communities immediately."

Residents asked to leave were directed to buses which would take them
to a safe location.

But many telephoned radio stations insisting that they feared for
their lives and could not leave.

Prime Minister Bruce Golding held an emergency meeting with his
cabinet Sunday and issued a State of Emergency for Kingston and St.
Andrew that came into effect at 6 p.m. and will last for at least a month.

Trouble began earlier this week in Kingston after the government
approved a U.S. extradition request for Coke, a reputed gang boss and
local community leader wanted on drug and gun-trafficking charges.

Thousands of Coke supporters thronged the streets on Thursday amid
police reports gangs in the area were amassing weapons and had
erected barricades to prevent Coke's detention, after an arrest
warrant was issued for his capture.

Considered one of Jamaica's most influential and dangerous men, Coke,
42, is the reputed leader of the Shower Posse gang with branches all
over the United States.

The U.S. accuses Shower Posse members, under Coke's direction, of
having sold marijuana and crack cocaine in New York City and other
areas of the United States, funnelling profits back to him.

But for local Kingston residents, Coke is more like a godfather.