புலிகளுள் பிளவு? : பொட்டம்மான் பதவி நீக்கம்??

Internal conflict among top Tiger leaders

The internal conflict among the top leadership of the LTTE came to a head recently when the Tiger Intelligence Unit (TOSI) and the Black Tigers (Karum Puligal) Chief Shanmugaligam Sivashanker, better known as Pottu Amman, was removed from the post by the LTTE Leader Velupillai Prabhakaran.

The differences among the Tiger hierarchy at the moment is similar to the internal conflicts that arose with the breakaway of its Eastern Leader Vinayagamurthi Muralitharan alias Karuna four years ago.

Pottu Amman had been replaced by another senior leader Rutnam Master, who is in-charge of Prabhakaran’s personal security as well as being the head of the LTTE’s Special Force – Radha Regiment and the Air Wing. His personal details are not available, as he has functioned as one of the most secretive operatives within the LTTE.

State intelligence units had uncovered that Pottu Amman, of whom nothing much is known about, had been removed by the LTTE Leader for failing to carry out any attacks on the military as well as VIP targets tasked to him in recent years. Among them were the assassination attempts on Army Commander Sarath Fonseka and Defence Ministry Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa. Two lorries laden with a large amount of explosives, that were recovered by the defence authorities were also among the failed attempts of Pottu Amman.

Wanted by the Interpol for terrorism, Pottu Amman has been a man of mystery within the LTTE even more than its Leader Prabhakaran. He headed almost all the operations outside the North and East and masterminded many of the suicide attacks against the country’s political leaders and anti-LTTE Tamil political party members as well as senior military officials. He is one of the most wanted by the Indian defence authorities for the assassination of former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

The removal of Pottu Amman from the Intelligence Unit had been done in mid this year and soon after he had been sent to Muhamalai for three months by the LTTE Leadership. It is revealed that he was called back to Mullaitivu by the LTTE leadership and had not been assigned for any work thereafter.