Colombo: Without commenting on Sri Lankan claims of having killed LTTE supremo V Prabhakaran, the Tiger rebels today complained to the Red Cross that slaying of its top leaders including Prabhakaran's son Charles Anthony was a "determined massacre".
In its first comment on the bloody developments in the Wanni jungles, the LTTE said it had informed ICRC that only 1,000 wounded cadres, civil officials of the LTTE and civilians remained in the so-called 'safety zone'.
Pro-LTTE website Tamilnet said before their death, the Tigers' political head B Nadesan and Director Peace Secretariat S Puleedevan had telephoned their contacts in Europe and told them to inform the ICRC head office that they wanted immediate evacuation for the wounded.
"But hours later, Colombo defence ministry website claimed finding the dead bodies of Nadesan, Puleedevan, Ilango and Charles Anthony, son of LTTE leader Prabhakaran," the LTTE statement was quoted by Tamilnet.
"The LTTE is yet to confirm their deaths but, initial reports indicate a determined massacre by the Sri Lankan Army," it said.
The statement said the LTTE had last week announced its readiness to lay down arms in response to the call by US President Barack Obama. "However, Colombo decided not to allow any opportunity for the LTTE to negotiate and instead decided to annihilate its leadership," it said.