Prabhakaran's son commanding LTTE forces

Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran's son Charles Anthony is commanding a contingent of the Tamil Tigers, alongside other top rebel leaders like Banu and Lakshman, 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 the LTTE, according to the reports.

He is also believed to have played a key role in building the LTTE's air wing, which surprised the world with a night raid on the 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 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 decided to surrender, the newspaper said, quoting the suicide cadres.

They also said that Prabhakaran was still in the LTTE dominated Wanni area in North. Prabhakaran has two other children -- a daughter Dhuwraha in her 20s and another teenager son Balachandran -- whose whereabouts are not 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 in the security situation in the region, barely days after the creation of the new civilian safe zone.