Tigers turn on themselves : Clashes between Pottu and VP

Even as it is suffering serious blows inflicted by the Sri Lankan armed forces and the ground beneath its feet shrinks by the day, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) appears to be gripped by a serious internal crisis. 

If Sri Lankan intelligence is to be believed, all has not been well between the two most powerful men in the LTTE – leader Velupillai Prabhakaran and intelligence chief, Shanmugalingam Sivashankar, better known as Pottu Amman. 

According to reports in the Sri Lankan media, Prabhakaran removed Pottu Amman as the chief of the LTTE’s intelligence wing a few months ago for his repeated failure to carry out several high-profile assassination missions, including the suicide attacks on Sri Lankan army chief Sarath Fonseka and Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa in 2007. According to the Daily Mirror, Pottu Amman was sent away to Muhamalai in the Jaffna Peninsula for three months. The Mirror reports that Pottu Amman has been replaced by Rutnam Master, who was previously in charge of Prabhakaran’s personal security as well as head of the LTTE’s special forces, the Radha Regiment. 
While the story could be a fictitious one floated by the Sri Lankan intelligence, if true, it is a major development, with implications that could cripple the already limping Tigers. Rivalries are known to exist in the “monolithic” LTTE. But a split between Prabhakaran and his intelligence chief could prove deadly, damaging the organization far more than the string of military reverses it has suffered over the past couple of years. 

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‘If LTTE chief is caught, India will have to request extradition’

India will have to follow the standard “procedure” for seeking extradition of LTTE supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran, wanted in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, if he is captured by the Sri Lankan security forces, official sources said here on Tuesday.

“There is a procedure. The procedure is for India to formally ask the Sri Lankan government for Prabhakaran’s extradition if he is caught,” the sources said.

Since there is only an Extradition Arrangement between India and Sri Lanka, short of a treaty, deportation of wanted people could be undertaken only on grounds of mutual requests.

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa had taken a positive view on the issue of Prabhakaran’s extradition.

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Let him be caught first!

It never rains but it pours. There seems to be no end to Prabhakaran’s misfortunes. His terror empire is being crushed like papadam and soon he won’t be able to run anymore after the fall of Elephant Pass and Mullaitivu.

Immediately after the Vanni offensive began, as we reported then, Prabhakaran told some TNA MPs he was hopeful that his allies would be able to muster enough international support to coerce Sir Lanka into stopping the war and until such time he would hold out. It was in keeping with this strategy that some Tamil Nadu politicians led by Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi ran riot in Chennai a few weeks ago demanding that the Central government intervene immediately to put an end Sri Lanka’s war on terror. LTTE backers the world over mounted massive disinformation campaigns to jolt foreign governments into making Sri Lanka opt for a truce to no avail.

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Few options for Prabhakaran

The bubble of invincibility of the LTTE has burst with the fall of Kilinochchi the epicentre of its power. It would be interesting to see how the outfit is going to recover from this massive debacle which has not only dealt a mortal blow to its pride but also has rubbished the popular belief of its omnipotence and resilience.

The military juggernaut is now rolling towards Mullaitivu where the Tiger leader is believed to be hiding after having made to eat humble pie and eat his own words when he claimed that hopes entertained by President Mahinda Rajapaksa to capture Kilinochchi was a day dream.

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Prabha still in Mullattivu: Karuna

Scotching speculation that LTTE Leader Velupillai Prabhakaran has fled the country due to his inability to resist the present onslaught by the government troops, Tamil Makkal Vidudalai Puligal (TMVP) Leader and Parliamentarian Vinayagamoorthy Muralidaran alias Karuna yesterday confirmed that the LTTE Chief was still living in the thick jungles of Mullaitivu.

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Prabhakaran mad over fall of Kilinochchi

The security forces have been able to record a radio message that was sent to LTTE battlefield commanders in Kilinochchi by their Supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran, threatening them never to face him again after they allowed Kilinochchi to fall.

This message clearly reveals the manner in which LTTE field commander Swarnam is stringently criticised by the LTTE Leader about the defeat in Kilinochchi. The commanders had informed Prabhakaran that they have no other option other than to withdraw their troops from the battlefields, even thought Prabhakaran had ordered them to continue the battle and not give up Kilinochchi. This decision of the armed leaders who were at the battlefront in Kilinochchi had enraged the LTTE Leader and had sent this radio message to them.

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India dashes hopes of TN LTTE proxies: Prabhakaran to be trailed for Rajiv assassination

Dashing all hopes of Tamil Nadu politicians that eventually some kind of intervention could be obtained from New Delhi to save the LTTE terrorists, India’s ruling Congress demanded the extradition of Velupillai Prabhakaran if he is nabbed by the Sri Lankan forces to be tried for the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.

Calling Prabhakaran a murderer of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi the Congress Party spokesman Veerappa Moily said, “He is an assassin and we would be very happy if he was extradited to India. We want him to be prosecuted and convicted here for the grave crime he committed.”

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Prabhakaran still in Kilinochchi? “Has not fled to South India”

LTTE chief  Velupillai Prabhakaran is still in hiding somewhere in Kilinochichi district and has not escaped to South India as speculated, Tamil political sources said yesterday.

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Which is good for the country? Prabhakaran and Pottu Amman Dead or Alive!

By Malin Abeyatunge

It’s time to ponder on the subject which is good for the country? Prabhakaran and Pottu Amman Dead or Alive! Prabhakaran’s “Mythical Eeelam” about to vanish in to thin air. Prabhakaran’s citadel will come crumbling down very soon. By now, Prabhakaran and Pottu Amman may be scheming to escape. Tamil Nadu pro LTTE groups may be burning midnight oil in scheming plans to rescue Prabhakaran and Pottu Amman to a safer place. Where he will be safer? Tamil Nadu, London or Scarborough (little Eelam) in Torronto. London or Canada would be safer as they are LTTE havens. With assassination charges framed in India on Prabhakaran and Pottu Amman of killing Rajiv Gandhi, even under the patronage of Tamil Nadu, exile in India is very unlikely unless the Indian government gives official pardon to both of them which is also very unlikely. One thing I can bet on is that Prabhakaran and Pottu Amman will never bite the cyanide pill, if captured because they love their life albeit he has taken oath from his LTTE cadres that they will not surrender to the enemy (Govt. forces) but bite the cyanide pill.

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Praba’s Sister Speaks: believes that SL Army won’t be able to catch him

Vinothini Rajendran’s 11th-floor apartment is decorated with plastic flowers, a poster of Lord Krishna and framed photos of the little brother she left behind in Sri Lanka.

It has been years since she saw him. He never writes or calls, but she accepts that is just the way it is when your brother is Velupillai Prabhakaran, one of the world’s most notorious guerrilla leaders.

“It must be God’s wish that he should become such a man,” says Ms. Rajendran, who immigrated to Canada more than a decade ago and lives with her husband, Bala, in a modest apartment in east Toronto.

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