International

Tight security for Prabakaran kept scribes guessing till the last

By Nirupama Subramaniam

KILLINOCHCHI APRIL 10 . The precision planning and secrecy for which the leader of the LTTE, Velupillai Prabakaran, is well-known was in full evidence at his first press conference in 12 years today.

Over 200 journalists who had descended on Sri Lanka for the event were ready and raring to go from 7 a.m., but the LTTE had other plans in store for them.

The journalists, gathered here from all over the world were taken to a LTTE office, 3 km from the main Killinochchi town, only to be told that no information could be divulged to them about the time or the venue of the press conference.

``Our leader's security is paramount. We hope you will cooperate with us,'' LTTE officials said to repeated queries. An aggressive and inquisitive group of journalists had no choice but to submit to the LTTE's diktat.

LTTE officials made it clear that none of the sophisticated equipment that the journalists had brought 300 km from Colombo, including live relay facilities and satellite phones, would be allowed at the venue.

Such was the security for Mr. Prabakaran that nothing which could send out signals to the outside world from the venue of the press conference would be permitted. No amount of remonstration by the journalists about deadlines and editors could convince the LTTE otherwise.

The security screening by the LTTE cadre would have put to shame some of the best intelligence agencies in the world. The press conference was originally scheduled for 5 p.m. but for several hours earlier the journalists and their equipment were being subjected to a thorough check. Every journalist was photographed and each set of equipment taken apart to be screened. Cameras were weighed, and no chances were taken.

But even after all these checks, no one could carry their belongings to the venue. Everything, including pens and notebooks, were taken by the LTTE and put in plastic bags to be handed back to the journalists only when they reached the venue. LTTE buses were on stand- by to take the journalists to the venue. The Tamil Eelam Economic Development head office where they waited was swarming with LTTE cadres in and out of uniform. Trained LTTE cameramen video-recorded the entire proceedings.

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