Call to jail man accused of mowing down cyclists

Prosecutors have asked for a motorist accused of knockingdown bike-riding activists in Brazil, injuring at least 40 people, to be detained until trial.

Prosecutors said they were seeking to have the suspect, identified as Ricardo Jose Neis, jailed in anticipation of possible charges of attempted murder.

Under Brazilian law, suspects are not charged until police finish their investigation.? A judge's ruling is required to imprison them before the filing of charges A ruling is expected within days. Until then, Neis remains free.

He is accused of speeding through a pack of more than 100 cyclists taking part in a Critical Mass bike ride last Friday in Porto Alegre in the south of Brazil. Authorities say 40 riders suffered injuries such as cuts and broken bones, though nobody was killed.

"It can be clearly seen that he ran over several innocent cyclists simply because they were blocking his way," prosecutors said.

Neis's attorney, Luis Fernando Coimbra, told Globo TV that the cyclists were hitting his client's car and threatening him, and he acted in self-defence.

However, people who took part in the ride deny anyone threatened Neis, and the lead police investigator in the case, Gilberto Montenegro, has called the suspect's story "fanciful".

"He assumed the risk (of hurting people] when he used his car as a weapon," he told reporters.

Video of the incident shows a dark car accelerating through the procession from behind, sending bikes and screaming riders flying through the air. Thuds and sharp sounds of metal on metal are heard in the clip.

Authorities say Neis fled the scene. He handed himself in for questioning on Monday.