Sri Lanka: LTTE tried to buy nuclear weapons: KP

COLOMBO: In a startling disclosure, the detained LTTE chief Kumaran Pathmanathan has told investigators that the rebels had tried to acquire

nuclear weapons and know-how to be used against the Sri Lankan army.

A media report has said that Pathmanathan who was recently arrested in South East Asian country has told interrogators that his organisation had tried to acquire nuclear weapons and technology from western countries.

"LTTE had been the first terrorist outfit that had tried to obtain nuclear power. Had they been successful in obtaining nuclear power, it would have flowed into the hands of other terror organisations too", the Nation newspaper said quoting military analysts.

"KP has revealed that the arms purchased with the money collected were shipped to the LTTE. How he purchased anti-aircraft missiles from arms dealers in the USA has been disclosed", the newspaper said.

Meanwhile, the former commander of LTTE Supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran and cabinet minister in the Sri Lankan government, Karuna Amman say it may be difficult to find a successor to KP.

"They (LTTE) can't do anything because all international networks were controlled by KP himself", Amman said.