LTTE vessel blown up, politician slain

The vessel belonging to the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) was being towed by a smaller boat when a navy craft confronted it in high seas, Defence Secretary Austin Fernando said.

He said the navy had told him the smaller craft sailed off, leaving the ship behind. The crew reportedly blew up the vessel before the navy could board it, Fernando said.

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"We have taken steps to report the matter to the monitoring mission," he said referring to the Scandinavian team monitoring a truce between government forces and Tamil Tiger guerrillas, which has been in place since February last year.

The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) said it had begun an investigation.

"We are told there were 12 Sea Tigers. They jumped over board. There are concerns that the ship has sunk," SLMM spokesman Agnes Bragadottir said. "(We have) no information if the Sea Tigers have been rescued or not."

There was no immediate reaction from the LTTE, but rebel sources said that the navy had attacked the ship in international waters where the Sri Lankan security forces would have no authority to open fire.

The Norwegian-backed ceasefire between the government and the rebels does not does not extend fully to action at sea where there had been several clashes between Tiger boats and the navy.

A pro-rebel website, Tamilnet.com, reported Saturday that the LTTE's political wing leader S.P. Thamilselvan had told SLMM chief Tryggve Tellefsen Friday that there could be confrontations with the navy.