GANG WARFARE BEHIND VIOLENCE IN INNER CITY

Minister says huge drug profits led to split in Mad Cowz

RESIDENTS of Winnipeg's West End have been bracing for increased violence
since learning a local African street gang was fighting an internal war, an
inner-city leader said yesterday.

But nobody expected the strife could lead to the death of an innocent
bystander, said Harry Lehotsky, a high-profile minister who runs New Life
Ministries on Maryland Street.

"There's a weird kind of callousness which happens in a neighbourhood when
you see the type of stuff we do. It almost becomes 'Well, if there's
violence and they do themselves in, it's no big deal'," he said.

"But it is a big deal. You can't have that many people spitting out bullets
on the street and not have somebody innocent getting hit some day."

Lehotsky said he's been aware of a rift within the Mad Cowz for several
months.

The gang burst on to the criminal scene in recent years by targeting young
new African immigrants to the city. Many teens and young men struggled with
the language and culture but were instantly welcomed by established
criminals who preyed on them to do their bidding, said Lehotsky.

"They would give them sports clothes, flash the cash around and say 'Hey,
look what's available to you'," he said.

"And for many of them, they were no strangers to violence given the
background of where they had come from and gone through in their home
countries," he said.

Such was the tragic case of Sirak Okbazion, a 14-year-old Eritrean immigrant
who was shot dead on a Winnipeg street in August 2004.

Rezene and Hiriti Okbazion say they quickly lost control of their son after
moving to Canada. Sirak stopped coming home at night, and began associating
with members of the Mad Cowz.

Sirak was killed outside a Sherbrook Street crack house which had a known
connection to the gang. Two men and two youths have been charged with
second-degree murder and are awaiting trial. The Mad Cowz made news again
last month when several suspected members were involved in a two-day crime
spree that included a gunpoint kidnapping, assault and several thefts.

A 17-year-old male was forced into a vehicle, ordered to withdraw money from
an ATM and eventually released.

Police conducted a high-risk takedown at a Maryland Street drug den which
was connected to the gang. Five suspects were arrested by heavily-armed
members of the Emergency Response Unit and are facing numerous charges.

Lehotsky said yesterday he's heard numerous stories in his community of Mad
Cowz members using aggressive tactics to recruit new members and customers
to buy cocaine.

"They weren't just dealing, they were pushing people, saying 'What kind of
crap is this, is that all you're going to buy?'," he said.

With major profits to be made from drug trafficking in Winnipeg, it appears
several Mad Cowz members recently decided to break away and form their own
group, which is known on the streets as the "African Mafia", said Lehotsky.

This isn't the first time an established Winnipeg street gang has imploded
with violence.

Last winter, nearly a dozen members of the Indian Posse street gang were
accused of savagely attacking their former leader while all were in custody
at the provincial Remand Centre.

The victim -- who was unco-operative and claimed he slipped in the shower
was apparently seen by guards being attacked with fists, feet and
numerous weapons including bars of soap wrapped in socks. Ten people are
facing charges, and the case is set for trial in January.
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