At the same time, the police reported that they seized nine illegal guns from the community, triggering comments from crime watchers last night that this was probably the biggest ever gun find in Tivoli, an area normally perceived as being heavily armed.

Heavily armed police and Jamaica Defence Force soldiers patrol a section of McKenzie Drive in Tivoli Gardens as they search for wanted men during yesterday's joint police/military raid in the area. (Photo: Bryan Cummings)

Up to press time last night, the police had not released the identities of the five men killed. Neither did they name the injured cop and soldier, offering only that they were receiving treatment in hospital. It was not immediately clear what condition they were in.

"The operation started just before midday today, we came into the area in search of wanted men, including some of those on the police most wanted list," said police spokesman Inspector Steve Brown. "And upon approaching one of the communities we came under gunfire from a group of men. That triggered a gun battle between the security forces and the gunmen.

Two members of the security forces have been shot and wounded .five gunmen were also shot and killed. We also seized illegal firearms and a quantity of ammunition."

Several armed members of the Jamaica Defence Force take up strategic positions along a section of Industrial Terrace in Tivoli Gardens during the joint military/police operation in the area yesterday. Photos: Bryan Cummings

The operation, he said, was ongoing "as we intend to get the men who we came for".

Brown said he could not say whether the men the police went in search of were among the five killed. He also said a number of men were detained, although he could not give an exact number.

"I cannot give you the quantity now because of processing, but as soon as they are processed they will be released, I am almost certain about that," he added.

Brown also declined to divulge the names of the men the police were looking for.

Asked to address a rumour that the raid was conducted specifically to flush out members of the Montego Bay-based Stone Crusher Gang, Brown was very evasive in his response.

"If you get the rumour on the ground, then the rumour on the ground must come from the people," he said. "If they told you we are searching for members of the Stone Crusher Gang, then it could well mean that members of that gang are here, but what we are telling you is that we are searching for wanted men in the community."

Tivoli Gardens, a community that is fiercely loyal to the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), has been the focus of a number of police raids over the past 10 years, with the most memorable being that of July 7, 2001 when 27 people, including a policeman and a soldier, were shot dead.

At the time, its political representative, Edward Seaga, claimed that the violence was orchestrated by the then ruling People's National Party (PNP) to rekindle the perception of Tivoli as a violence-riddled community, thereby painting Seaga as a man of violence and not fit to lead Jamaica.

Yesterday, however, there were no shrill protests of political motivation from the JLP, as Desmond McKenzie, the mayor of Kingston and the JLP councillor for the Tivoli Gardens Division in the Kingston and St Andrew Corporation, said the raid was carried out in a professional manner.

"I would say that the security forces in part conducted themselves in a professional way," McKenzie said. "It is unfortunate that persons have lost their lives, but we support the work of the security forces as long as it is done in a professional manner and the rights of the residents are respected. And in this case there were one and two isolated incidents of abuse by some members but I can't say they acted unprofessionally."

He said, too, that some residents complained that their homes were vandalised by members of the security forces. "Persons have lost personal belongings. We have in fact made contact with the police high command and have learned that an effort is being made to investigate the circumstances under which the things were removed from the homes in question," McKenzie said.

He also told the Observer that despite the loss of five lives, the presence of Bruce Golding, the prime minister and member of parliament for West Kingston - in which Tivoli Gardens is located - was not yet necessary.

"I don't think this would necessitate the prime minister coming down here," McKenzie said. "As the councillor for the area I think I am probably capable enough to deal with what is happening on the ground."

Last night, Opposition spokesman on national security Dr Peter Phillips voiced his support for the security forces involved in yesterday's operation, while expressing sympathy to the policeman and soldier who were injured.

Phillips also urged the citizens of West Kingston to support the security forces in their attempt to restore order in the communities affected by the operation.