Paramilitary cadre reveals planned claymore attack prior to Geneva Talks

A paramilitary cadre with instructions to eliminate a Brigade Commander of the Liberation Tigers and an Intelligence Wing official in Batticaloa before talks in Geneva, met the press Tuesday morning in LTTE controlled Kokkaddicholai. The 32-year-old paramilitary cadre, Vigneswaran, told media at Solayaham Conference Centre that he turned himself to the Tigers as he was unhappy to obey instructions issued by the Sri Lankan military.

Arumugam Vigneswaran was sent on a Claymore attack mission in the Pulipaynthakal border area.

He was told that an ambush team would launch an attack on LTTE cadres.

He was instructed to advance into LTTE controlled area and launch a Claymore attack on a vehicle belonging to LTTE Commander Jayarthanan, the Commander of Jeyanthan Brigade, or the Tiger Intelligence Official Uma Ramanan, one or both were expected to rush to the spot to investigate the ambush.

"I was provided with the particulars and sent on 18th February from Welikande to Sri Lanka Army camp in Kiran," he told the media.

Vigneswaran said he was recruited 10 months ago by his relative and Karuna loyalist paramilitary cadre, Sinnathamby, who was operating from Welikande.

Sinnathamby, who "forced" Vigneswaran to join him in Welikande, provided 3 days training on operating Claymore mines in Welikande.

Vigneswaran was then sent on various missions, between Kiran and Welikande, he said.

“Major Bandula at Sri Lanka Army camp in Kiran assured me help when I withdrew from the attack site into SLA-controlled area," Vigneswaran told reporters.

Vigneswaran is from Korakallimadu, Valaichenai. He adds that a few youths from Korakallimadu area, who were conscripted by force are kept chained at the paramilitary camps in Welikande," he added.

The paramilitary cadre said he reached the Ottamavadi SLA checkpoint on 18th, and two others who met him there took him to a Muslim Homeguard camp in Kavathamunai, Valaichenai, prior to his entry into the LTTE controlled area for the said mission.

(http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=17322)