LTTE fabricated videos to gain propaganda advantage: ex-rebel

Colombo, Mar 19 (PTI) The Tamil Tigers fabricated video footage to demonise Sri Lankan military and distributed them among international media to gain propaganda advantage, the now defunct LTTE's former media co-ordinator has claimed. Velayudam Dayanidhi alias Daya Master told state-owned ITN television that fabricated footage produced in 2002 during the ceasefire with the army was distributed internationally. "The footage used by Channel 4 are those fabricated footage issued by the LTTE," Daya Master said. The British Channel 4 television telecast video footage titled 'Sri Lanka killing fields 1 and 2' and 'Sri Lanka killing fields - war crimes unpunished' which it alleged carry incriminating evidence of war crimes committed by Lankan troops. The government has dismissed the Channel 4 videos as fabrications. On the allegation of LTTE chief V Prabakaran's 12-year- old son Balachandran's killing by army in the latest Channel 4 video, Daya Master said Balachandran was under tight protection of LTTE guards and he may have been shot by LTTE guards when tried to flee. The government has accused the Channel 4 of running a smear campaign against Sri Lanka to coincide with the on going UN Human Rights Council sessions in Geneva. PTI CORR ZH AKJ ZH