"Efforts to mislead Wanni youth into the LTTE recruitment drive unraveled."

Major concerns have arisen among defence and humanitarian aid circles following a startling revelation made by the security forces now operating deep inside LTTE territory in Kilinochchi. The findings have given cause for reasonable suspicions of the sort of 'humanitarian' activities conducted by some famed INGOs for years in the non-liberated Wanni region.

According to available evidence, it appears that the local propaganda newspapers published by the LTTE carried advertisements from international aid and relief organizations such as the ICRC, Save the Children and the Danish Refugee Council for vacancies in their organizations, alongside LTTE obituaries for its terrorist cadres, in the Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu districts.

"We are greatly concerned with this as the LTTE might have used the INGOs to shield its recruitment drive and lure youth for interviews and later to be abducted in due course" a defence observer said.

The positions advertised by the ICRC, Save the Children and Danish Refugee Council are for: Field officer, Project officer and Radio operators in Kilinochchi.

Defence analysts are not ruling out the possibility that some agents or individual members of these organizations, that are supportive of the LTTE, having these advertisements placed, in order to both attract youth to the dwindling LTTE cadres, and also funding the terrorist outfit either locally or abroad through for these advertisements.

One such analyst and observer of current developments and activities of INGOs and NGOs said this matter required a thorough investigation by the authorities concerned, and explanations from these organizations.

"What may unravel as troops surge further into LTTE territory might be more interesting, he said adding, no wonder the terrorists are furious with the military domination in fear of more revelations that would surely put these agencies on the spotlight and wanted for 'explanations", and "clarifications" he further said.

Recently the government took pro-active measures to relocate INGOs and many aid agencies in safe quarters in Vavuniya, following clear assessments obtained of the possible danger to workers of these organizations by the LTTE. The government decision has minimized collateral damage and denied LTTE 'aid canopies' which it had used on many an occasions to divert aerial attacks.

Earlier, it was found that LTTE terrorists have taken heavy earth moving vehicles, trucks, tractors and several land cruiser jeeps from the Norwegian Peoples Aid (NPA) in Kilinochchi, which was reported to the defence authorities much later, when it was said these were taken forcibly.

(Courtesy: Ministry of Defence, Public Security, Law and Order)