Prabhakaran's son commanding LTTE forces

Colombo: LTTE Supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran's son Charles Anthony is commanding a contingent of the Tamil Tigers alongside other top rebel leaders like Banu and Lakshman, the arrested black Tigers have revealed.

Anthony, who returned from Ireland in 2006, is believed to have got a degree in aeronautical engineering and is heading the air wing and computer unit of LTTE, according to the reports.

He is also believed to have played a key role in building the LTTE air wing, which surprised the world with a night raid on Sri Lankan military air base inside Colombo's international airport in March, 2007.

In an interview with the state run Sunday Observer, the two black Tigers claimed that Prabhakaran's son Anthony was commanding their forces with other prominent LTTE leaders which include Banu and Lakshman.

The two black Tigers in their twenties had surrendered to the troops at Therumurukandy on January 28 this year after they failed in their attempts to bomb the bund of the Iranamadu Tank which if succeeded could have caused immense disaster, the Sunday Observer said.

Anthony and LTTE Sea Tiger chief Soosai had briefed them on the mission, for an underwater demolition on January 20, but they, who were fed up with the 'behaviour' of the group's leadership, decided to surrender, the newspaper said quoting the suicide cadres.

They also said the outfit chief Prabhakaran was still in the LTTE dominated Wanni area in North.

Prabhakaran has two other children - a daughter Dhuwraha in her 20's and another teenager son Balachandran. Balachandran's whereabouts aren't known.

"They said the innocent youth are being brain-washed and sent on suicide missions," the newspaper said.

Meanwhile, Sri Lankan army chief Sarath Fonseka on Saturday flew to the army headquarters in Wanni to take stock

of the situation.

During his visit to Vavuniya, Fonseka reviewed the latest developments on the security situation in the region, barely days after creation of the new civilian safe zone.

He was told that proper welfare facilities were being provided for the Internally Displaced Persons arriving in Security Forces-held areas seeking protection.

The injured civilians arriving in cleared areas were also getting immediate medical attention, he was told.