'104 LTTE cadres poisoned to death at Lanka rehab centres'

Politicians of the main Tamil party TNA politicians and the Tamil media claimed the deaths of some 104 ex-LTTE cadres who had allegedly been given poisonous injections.

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Colombo: Sri Lanka's Tamil politicians have alleged that over 100 LTTE cadres at rehabilitation centres were injected with poison leading to their deaths, prompting the government to reject their claims on Thursday.

Politicians of the main Tamil party TNA politicians and the Tamil media claimed the deaths of some 104 ex-combatants who had allegedly been given poisonous injections. They had claimed physical disability due to the injections being given to them.

Northern chief minister C V Wigneswaran has said that the US Air Forces medical team, currently in the Tamil-dominated north, will examine the former rehabilitated LTTE cadres, who he alleged had fallen sick because they were injected with poisonous substances at government detention or rehabilitation centres.

State Minister of Defence Ruwan Wijewardene rejected the claims as "false allegations".

"It is sad to hear some politicians in the North making false allegations when the government is making a genuine effort to resolve the issue of the Northern people.

"Anyone, including those from the international community, can visit the rehabilitation camps after obtaining permission from the government and see for themselves the work that is being done," he said, referring to claims by members of the northern provincial council.

Government spokesman and Minister of Health Rajitha Senaratne also dismissed the claims yesterday and said local doctors can be asked to examine them.