NEWSLINKS US EDITION SOUTH ASIA COLUMNISTS DIARY SPECIALS INTERVIEWS CAPITAL BUZZ REDIFF POLL THE STATES ELECTIONS ARCHIVES SEARCH REDIFF
K Venkataramanan in Colombo
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam intelligence chief Pottu Amman, suspected to be one of the main conspirators behind the assassination of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, has said India and the Tamil organisation should re-establish close ties.
"It was the lack of mutual understanding, rather than events and actions that created conflicts between India and the LTTE, and we still have opportunities to remove all bitterness by fostering such understanding," Amman said in remarks published by pro-LTTE Tamil magazine Sudar Oli on Sunday.
Amman, wanted by a designated court in Chennai for trial as the second accused after LTTE chief V Pirabhakaran for plotting the killing of Gandhi in 1991, claimed to the weekly that signals were being exchanged with India, but did not elaborate.
"All attempts and signals to establish an understanding should be addressed to our political wing rather than our intelligence wing. I hope those concerned take note of this," he said.
Amman's remarks are part of an article quoting named and unnamed LTTE leaders talking about their purported eagerness to forget a 15-year-long story of mutual acrimony with India, 'despite many instances of India's hostility towards the LTTE', which was outlawed by the latter in May 1992.
Amman also used the opportunity to deny any links between the LTTE and separatist groups in India, saying vested interests had spread such rumours to turn the people of Tamil Nadu against the Tigers.
Tell us what you think of this report
Call India
