The wave of violence that has hit the streets and jails of the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil's wealthiest province, has now killed 52 people, injured 53, the Public Security Ministry of Sao Paulo state said on Sunday.

The rioting was triggered on Friday night by a decision to move gang leaders, according to the Ministry. It includes more than 100attacks on police patrols across Sao Paulo city and riots in the state's 36 prisons, which house 40 percent of Brazil's 140,000 prisoners.

The 52 dead are 35 public order officers -- including officers from the National Guard, Metropolitan Guard of Sao Paulo, police and prison officers -- 14 suspected gang members and three civilians.

The injured are 24 National Guard officers, five police, five Metropolitan Guard, two prison officers, eight civilians and six suspected gang members.

Jose Vicente da Silva, former national public security minister, told the press that Sao Paulo lacked a smart intelligence service and said that the state intelligence service should have anticipated these things with enough time for the necessary counter-measures to be taken.

(Xinhua News Agency May 15, 2006)