Carrying out attacks and blaming others is LTTE's usual practise says Karuna

"We represent the people of the North and the east. We are also a political organisation," Karuna told Ethirajan Anbarasan of BBC Tamil Service.

He accused the Tamil Tigers of carrying out the bomb blast on a passenger bus on Thursday which killed sixty-four people.

"They do these things and blame the army and other groups. It is their usual practise."

"As you know they have said before that if EU bans them, the whole silence would be destroyed. It was said by Pugazhandi," says Karuna when challenged about his accusations.

Pugazhandi is the head of LTTE's finance section.

This massacre was carried out by the LTTE. They do these things and blame the army and other groups. It is their practise - Karuna on Kebitigollewa attack

When questioned about their armed activities, he said that they only carry out attacks for self-defense.

The former senior leader of the LTTE who used to be a close associate of Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran also refused accusations that his group now operates together with the Sri Lanka military.

"We are trying to evolve as a political organisation. We have a political office in Batticaloa.. Government knows this.. Everyone knows that we opened this office with government permission. But we have no connection with the army. As far as military campaign we receive no help".

Rejecting war as the solution for Sri Lanka's troubles, Karuna Amman agreed that it is the civilians who ultimately suffer because of increasing violence.

	Karuna "tried to persuade" LTTE leader to find a peaceful solution

"As soon as we left that Terrorist organisation, large number of our people and supporters were killed by the orders of the Vanni leader Pirabakaran.. When we react to this people suffer.. But when we have to come out of this situation we have no option but to fight".

Answering a question whether the Sri Lanka government urged him to keep a low-profile so that the parties could go ahed with the peace talks, he said:

"These ideas have been put forward.. I don't deny that.. But LTTE is not keen on this process..."

His group is working on, says Karuna, to find a solution for Sri Lanka's national question within "united Sri Lanka".

Everyone knows that we opened this office with government permission. But we have no connection with the army. As far as military campaign we receive no help Karuna on links with military

LTTE leader is a "wanted criminal" and the LTTE is banned terrorist organisation, Karuna said.

But Ethirajana Anbarasan pointed out that he was also accused of some of the worst violence while he was with the LTTE.

"I was one of the main person who has contributed to the growth of the LTTE. But when I realised that we cannot achieve our aims by the arms struggle. then I quit that organisation.. But when I was in LTTE, I told Prabhakaran, several times that the peace environment is good for a political solution.

I told him to use the peace talks to get a political solution. But he was not keen on that.. He rejected the idea.. He used the cease fire period to kill people belonging to other groups".