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Tigers’ leader ‘killed when he tried to flee battle in ambulance'
Ed Harris18.05.09
The leader of the Tamil Tigers was thought to be dead today after attempting to flee in an ambulance from the final assault by Sri Lankan troops.
Government defence sources claimed that Velupillai Prabhakaran and two close aides were killed.
State television also showed pictures of a corpse said to be that of his son, Charles Anthony.
Reports from the Tigers claimed that Prabhakaran, who has led them since the start of their war for independence in 1975, was still alive and fighting with a final 200 Tigers in their last stand.
The army claimed it intercepted radio communications that revealed a mass suicide plan and military sources said the body of Prabhakaran had been recovered. But there was no confirmation of his death from either side.
Troops found several bodies of leading Tigers. They said Prabhakaran's son was one and the others included the head of the “peace secretariat”, the leader of the political wing, the head of its internal police force and the deputy intelligence chief.
Whether Prabhakaran is alive or dead will be crucial to determining whether there can be any peace in the wake of the conflict.
The 54-year-old is wanted for terrorism, murder, conspiracy to kill, and war crimes in both Sri Lankan and India, and has been sentenced to death in absentia by a court in Madras.
Reader views (2)
Still, if the ambulance had been on its way to an NHS hospital, MRSA would've got him.
- Doug Watt, london e14
He is dead alright. Time to live in freedom, and in peace for Sri Lankans - with or without the extremist supporters here in UK. And what ever happened to the impending bloodbath? Must be disappointing it never happened!
- Schweigen, London, UK
