threatened with violence over his opinions expressed on TV Tuesday night.

A Court Street gang known as the Frontline boycotted Tuesday night's peace summit, allegedly in anger because Mr. Mykkal had labelled those attending the talks as "criminals, wallsitters and drug dealers''.

Mr. Mykkal made the claim on TV shortly before negotiations aimed at ending gang violence were scheduled to start. Police had to abandon Tuesday night's talks because of lack of numbers.

A spokesman for the Frontline faction denied they were out to get Mr. Mykkal, but said they were incensed about him stirring up honest efforts to make peace.

Umar Al-Khattab said: "The younger guys said they wanted to take him out but the leaders who are sitting down at the table are saying they don't want to take him out, they would like him to retract.'' Last night Mr. Mykkal said: "I heard there is a bounty on my head.

"I heard the older gang members had instructed the younger gang members to hurt me. But there is nowhere to run.

"If they want a verbal or physical confrontation that's their call. I don't know what it will come to. If they kill me you will still have a problem tomorrow.

"I am surprised. That's not the Bermuda I am used to. I don't live on that side of town or interact with that side of town.'' Asked if he was frightened he said: "They can do what they want. I am not concerned. My concern is a better Bermuda.

"I probably don't have the right to refer to them as drug dealers or criminals so I apologise, but I don't think they are the hard-working people who make this country work.'' Commentary upsets gangs "They are not employed by anybody. The initial environment was drug activity.

"That's why I referred to some of them as a drug underworld, a criminal element. If there is a problem, I apologise.

"However they want a peace settlement; peace over what? What is it the Police hope to get them to stop?'' Asked if he was being made a scapegoat Mr. Mykkal said: "Society has already labelled them, but no one has got the guts to stand up and say it.

"Some gang members are talking about going into schools but some people don't want them because of who they are and what they do.'' The former Royal Gazette photographer added: "I know a lot of them, I know some of them are trying to do better, but some of them are very well known locally and overseas for what they do, and it is not good.

"What is a gang? What is it they get together to do, Island-wide clean-ups? "Do they get together to have cricket games between St. George's and Somerset or Smiths vs Hamilton parish?'' Asked if he would take security measures following the threat Mr. Mykkal said: `I will carry on until I die, that's all anybody can do. I don't need security -- I am just me.'' Asked if it was the Frontline faction who had made the threats Mr. Mykkal said: "It might be them, from what I am made to understand. They name people and send them out to do this and that.'' And Mr. Mykkal made an offer to attend the next gang peace talks scheduled for tonight.

He said: "If they want me there, I will be there.'' The Frontline gang are also enraged about Mykkal's claims that a deal has been cut with Police to allow the talks to go ahead. Mr. Mykkal said: "I have a problem trying to figure out what Police are saying - if you have a warrant and we'll deal with that on another day. I have never heard that in my life.'' Mr. Al-Khattab said: "He came on TV and said the Police would turn a blind eye then we will quiet down on the violence.

"The Police know what's going on.'' He added: "The gangs don't need him to make silly accusations. He only assumed these things because they were in negotiations.

"These individuals aren't convicted of anything. If the Police have something on them, that's Police business. Ras Mykkal is not a Policeman.''