Chandrika on top of LTTE hit list -- Report
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

COLOMBO, DEC 6 : Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga features at the top of LTTE's hit list following opinion polls showing her having an edge over principal challenger Ranil Wickramasinghe of United National Party (UNP) in the forthcoming presidential polls, a state-run newspaper reports.

State-run Daily News, quoting security agencies, said LTTE has "intensified" its efforts to prevent Kumaratunga from getting re-elected, especially after pre-poll surveys placed her well ahead of the UNP rival in the presidential race.

In view of her re-election chances, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) leader V Prabhakaran has reportedly planned to obstruct the December 21 elections by "perpetrating" many killings and launching bomb attacks, the paper said.

The LTTE hit list includes Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadiragamar, Deputy Defence Minister Gen Anurudha Ralwatte, Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) leader and Minister for Port Development, M H M Ashraff, Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera andJustice and Constitutional Affairs Minister G L Peiris.

Wickramasinghe was conspicuous by his absence in the so called hit list published by the newspaper. On Sunday, The Sunday Times

, quoting security agencies said threat perceptions to him have increased in view of LTTE decision to disrupt the polls.

Meanwhile, Kumaratunga charged UNP with "instigating" attacks on its own offices in order to disgrace the government and win people's sympathy.

"UNP is setting up its goons to attacks its own offices, supporters and cutouts in order to project me in bad light. The attack on UNP headquarters at suburban Kotte here in which miscreants threw stones and damaged the office was one such attempt," Kumaratunga said at an election rally recently.

UNP intends to create panic and tension to prevent people from casting their votes, she alleged and asked the public not to believe in rumours about the government.

2 more soldiers released