Tamil rebels warn of looming war

By Frances Harrison BBC correspondent in Colombo

The Tigers deny they are preparing for war, despite their warning

Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels have told the BBC they fear the country is drifting back to war.

The head of the Tigers' political wing, SP Thamilselvam, has said the two-and-a half-year-old peace process has reached its lowest ebb.

In an interview given in rebel-held territory, he accused the Sri Lankan government of acting in bad faith and trying to undermine a ceasefire deal.

A suicide bombing on Wednesday heightened concerns for the ceasefire.

The Tamil Tigers denied involvement in the Colombo bombing, which left four people dead, but warned that their truce with the government was looking increasingly fragile.

Promises 'not kept'

The head of the Tigers' political wing, SP Thamilselvam, told the BBC that the Sri Lankan government had acted in bad faith, deliberately trying to shatter the confidence and hope built up during the ceasefire.

Mr Thamilselvam says hundreds of Tamils are joining the cause

He accused both the government and the military of harbouring a breakaway Tamil Tiger commander and allowing his men to kill civilians and rebels alike in the east of the island.

Mr Thamilselvam said forces aligned to the government were disturbing the peace process and taking people back to the old days of war.

He said that, though there was supposed to be peace, the Tigers were still losing fighters and civilians and therefore felt the country was drifting back to war.

But despite recent reports of a major rebel recruitment drive - including many child soldiers - the Tigers denied they were preparing for war.

The Tigers' political chief said hundreds of young men and women were joining them because after two-and-a-half years of peace they found no promise of a normal life, let alone a better future.