Former Commander says Sri Lanka Army killed surrendering LTTE leaders

Dec 13, Colombo: Former Sri Lankan Army Commander and the presidential candidate General Sarath Fonseka said his army killed surrendering LTTE leaders on the orders of Defense Secretary.

In an interview to Sunday Leader, Fonseka said Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa ordered Brigadier Shavendra Silva to eliminate all the LTTE militant leaders during the final stages of the war.

The former commander claimed that he had no knowledge of the final stages of the war that there were key LTTE leaders willing to surrender.

Fonseka charged that communications were instead confined between the LTTE leaders, Norway, various foreign parties, senior adviser to the President and parliamentarian Basil Rajapaksa.

The ex-general said the senior LTTE leaders Nadesan, Ramesh and Pulidevan had been shot dead by government troops as they advanced towards them carrying a white flag.

Brigadier Shavendra Silva was shocked to hear the allegation when contacted to verify General Fonseka's accusations, the Sunday Leader said.