Happier times: Karuna says he was following LTTE leader's orders

In an exclusive interview with BBC Sandeshaya, Vinayagamurthi Muralitharan known as Karuna Amman said the Tamil Tigers are 'very weak' in the face of continuous military offensive.

"The LTTE are now only maintaining a defence line. They can't launch any offensive. They are very weak now," col. Karuna said.

However, it will take some time for the military to defeat the LTTE.

The LTTE are now only maintaining a defence line. They can't launch any offensive. They are very weak now Col. Karuna

"It will not happen in the next few months. We have to work together to win this war," he told BBCSinhala.com.

Karuna Amman was deported from UK, where he served a prison sentence for immigration offences, to Sri Lanka on Wednesday.

It was his first media interview since arriving in Colombo on Thursday.

Replacing Chief Minister

He appealed to all communities, Sinhala, Muslim and Tamil, to help the government to defeat the LTTE which he described as a 'brutal terrorist group'.

	Karuna was sentenced for immigration charges in London

The leader of the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Puligal (TMVP) said he is 'very happy' that his deputy is appointed as the Chief Minister of the Eastern Provincial Council. (EPC)

Col. Karuna insisted that he has no plans to replace TMVP deputy leader, Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan known as Pillayan, as the new Chief Minister.

"We are not only representing the eastern Tamils. We represent all Tamils in Sri Lanka," he said.

Mr. Pillayan earlier told BBC Tamil service that he would offer the post to Karuna Amman, if he returns to the country.

Meeting President Rajapaksa

Karuna also revealed that he would meet President Rajapaksa and the ministers in his administration in the near future.

"We are a party in the government alliance. Everybody knows that," he said.

Definitely I am meeting the president. We are a party in the government alliance. Everybody knows that Col. Karuna

International human rights groups urged British authorities to charge Karuna for war crimes while he was in British custody.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has strongly criticised decision by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) that there was no sufficient evidence to charge him.

Director General of Amnesty International (AI) earlier told BBC Sandeshaya that Sri Lanka government should charge him for alleged gross human rights violations.

Karuna and TMVP are accused of serious rights violations committed while he was a senior leader of the LTTE and later with working as a paramilitary supporting Sri Lanka military.

Karuna says he was only following orders by LTTE leaders, Velupillai Prabhakaran and Pottu Amman.