CHRONICLE

Since January 2001 there have been an estimated 36 inter-Tamil related arson attacks on houses and cars across Wembley, Harrow and Northolt.

And in the last six months there have been dozens of attacks involving machetes, swords, chains and iron bars which have left victims with limbs hacked off and other horrific injuries.

Scotland Yard is launching a London-wide media briefing on Friday. National, local and ethnic media, will attend, and will be asked to appeal to community leaders and residents for information.

Inspector Phil Perry, from wembley Police, explained: "The vast majority of Sri Lankans are decent hard-working and law-abiding people. It is only a handful who are ruining things.

"Many people in the community are coming forward to help us. Some are even putting their lives at risk in their desire to see the violence stopped."

"In recent months we have built a strong picture of what's going on. It's important to keep that momentum going."

Police say that, because of the close-knit nature of the Sri Lankan community, people-sometimes with crucial evidence-can be too scared to come forward.

Inspector Perry added: "Many Tamils living in the area are often from the same place in Sri Lanka.

"They know each other, and as a community they stick together and worship at the same temples or mosques. They are intensely loyal, because they come from a war situation in Sri Lanka."

Rakasingham Jayadevan, founder of the Pavitt Hall Hindu temple in Ealing Road, said: "Until recently, the community here was peaceful and hardworking, not influenced by the troubles back home."

But he said young men used to violence and with no parental control were coming from Sri Lanka and 'have disrupted what was once a tight-knit, affluent community'.

Police sources say Harrow College has been the scene of numerous clashes between gangs of warring Sri Lankan youths.

Inverstigating detectives say much of the crime is carried out by the same young men, most of whom are in their late teens or mid 20s.

Officers have also uncovered a link between the ongoing violence and organised crime involving credit card fraud, blackmail and kidnapping.

A Scotland Yard spokeswoman said: "The main community live peacefully, but a minority of youth have become disenfranchised and do not have strong links with the community. They are responsible for the violence we are now seeing."

Inspector Perry said: "These people have been involved in violence in Sri Lanka. Some of them have killed and murdered there. Many then went to India and travalled harsh journeys through Russia and Europe to get here, and are illegal immigrants. Some died on the way."