Claymore attacks point to cracks within LTTE

By Nirupama Subramanian

COLOMBO, OCT. 20. Yet another claymore mine attack deep inside LTTE-controlled territory in eastern Sri Lanka aimed apparently at a senior leader of the group has seriously raised the possibility that cracks have developed within its monolithic organisation.

The claymore mine went off seconds after a vehicle, said to be used by Mr. Karikalan, the LTTE's political wing leader for Batticaloa, passed the spot. According to reports, Mr. Karikalan was not in the four-wheel drive at the time, and both the vehicle and its driver escaped unscathed. There is no word yet from the LTTE on the incident.

The incident, in Kadukkamunai in Batticaloa district, came weeks after the killing of Shankar, another prominent LTTE cadre, in a similar attack in the north. Shankar, who bore the LTTE's rank of Colonel, was known to be a close associate of the group's leader, Mr. Velupillai Prabhakaran, and acted as the interpreter during his meeting with the Norwegian special envoy for the Sri Lankan peace process, Mr. Erik Solheim, last year. There have been several attacks targeting senior LTTE leaders since the first unsuccessful one on the overall head of the political wing, Mr. S. Thamilchelvam, in May this year. Some have got their targets and some have failed, but with each attack, the mystery about the identity of the perpetrators has only grown.

The LTTE has pointed a finger at a ``deep penetration group'' of the Sri Lankan army targeting its leadership, the first time anyone has accused it of competence. After initially denying the existence of such a crack unit within its ranks, with the attacks continuing, the army has preferred to neither confirm nor deny the stories of a covert operation by it in LTTE-held areas.

Within the LTTE, there is said to be panic at the efficiency with which the attacks are being carried out. Those carrying out the claymore attacks seem to have an intimate knowledge of the movements of the targeted persons.

Even if a unit of the Sri Lanka army is really behind the attacks as the LTTE claims, the access the perpetrators have to such information makes it almost certain that it could not be without the involvement of the LTTE's own cadres.

But if the LTTE knows or suspects this, it is still a tightly guarded secret. News trickling out from these areas tells mainly of punishment being meted out to civilians suspected of collaborating in the attacks with the supposed ``deep penetration unit'' of the army. It has been reported that some ``suspects'' were even executed.

The LTTE is also reported to have sounded an alarm for extra vigilance by civilians and cadres alike in the areas controlled by it. Thursday's incident was the seventh attack in six months.

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Section  : International
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