Tamil Tigers admit leader is dead

Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels have admitted for the first time that their leader Velupillai Prabhakaran is dead.

The BBC's Charles Haviland says that a statement issued by the Tigers said their "incomparable leader" had "attained martyrdom".

The Sri Lankan army last week released pictures which it said showed the body of Prabhakaran.

It said he was killed as he tried to flee a last stand by the rebels in the north-east of the island.

The statement was signed by the defeated group's head of international relations, Selvarasa Pathmanathan.

It says that the Tamil Tigers (LTTE) had declared a week of mourning for their dead leader, starting on 25 May.

The statement calls on Tamils all over the world to "restrain from harmful acts to themselves or anyone else in this hour of extreme grief".

In an interview with the BBC, Mr Pathmanathan said Prabhakaran had died on 17 May but did not give details of the circumstances.

Mr Pathmanathan said the Tigers would now use non-violent methods to fight for the rights of Tamils.

BBC