SLMM chief blames Tigers for mine attacks

Bharatha Malawarachchi

COLOMBO: - The chief Swedish cease-fire monitor blamed the LTTE yesterday for the recent spate of land mine blasts that have killed dozens in Sri Lanka and imperiled a four-year-old, Norwegian-brokered truce.

In an interview with The Associated Press, retired Swedish General, Ulf Henricsson, said while he couldn't be completely certain the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam were responsible for all of the mine attacks, it was likely they were to blame for most.

"If I look into the pattern and whole series of mine blasts, I would ... rule this as a serious violation by the LTTE," Henricsson said. "I can't prove every explosion to one single party, (but) the blasts directed toward the army, (I'm) quite sure that it could not be launched by any other organisation than the LTTE."

It was the first time a member of the 60-strong Nordic mission has publicly blamed the Tigers for the blasts, mostly involving Claymore mines that can be detonated by remote control and are designed to fire hundreds of steel balls.

The military has said Claymores appear to be the favoured weapon of the LTTE.

More than 50 people have been killed since April 10, mostly in mine explosions. Others have died in clashes between ethnic Tamils and Sinhalese.

AP