In opinion polls, Conservatives are leading with a significant margin, and are expected to form the new government after next Monday's election. LTTE front organizations had been critical of the Conservatives all along, and originally demanded that the Tamils of Sri Lankan origin support the Liberals since the Liberals have a record of being sympathetic to the LTTE cause in Sri Lanka.In fact the Liberal leader and current Prime minister Mr. Paul Martin attended an LTTE fund-raiser in 2001 leading to an acrimonious exchange of words between the Liberals and the then fragmented conservative parties. However, sensing the Conservatives are leading in the current elections, LTTE front organizations have changed tack and begun to canvass for some of the Conservative candidates, very late in the season. A telephone bank manned by Canadian Tamil Congress volunteers have in fact in recent days asked voters to vote for Conservatives in some Toronto ridings. MacKay's comments had dashed all hopes the LTTE operatives might have had to continue their activities in Canada under a Conservative government.

Another Conservative candidate contesting elections in Toronto, blasted LTTE in an interview to a Tamil newspaper published in Canada. Speaking to 'Vaikari', Mr. Peter Kent, said 'we are aware of the LTTE fundraising and their harassment of Tamils in Toronto. What they are doing is totally unacceptable, and we cannot allow these criminal acts in Canada. We will definitely ban LTTE. The Liberals have taken a soft approach against the terrorist groups such as the Hezbullah, Hamas and LTTE. This has to be changed". He echoed Mr. Mackay's comments that the Conservatives view LTTE and the Tamil community separately. 'Tamils fled their land in Sri Lanka due to atrocities committed by their government forces. But they are facing the same kind of problems from the LTTE in Canada. We cannot allow this'. Mr. Kent denied that the Conservatives are anti-immigrant. In fact a Sri Lankan Tamil Mr. Vincent Veerasunderam is contesting in Scarborough as a Conservative candidate.

In the mean time the Norweign funded LTTE web site Nitharsanam has demanded a statement the Conservative party denying the comments made by the party's deputy leader. In December 2005, Nitharsanam published a derogatory article about Mr. Vincent Veerasunderam, accusing him as an anti-Tamil and a stooge of the Sri Lankan government. LTTE front organizations in Toronto are spending thousands of dollars and sending hundreds of volunteers to work for the Conservative Candidates in Toronto, in an apparent move to warm up relations with the Tories.

Discuss this story Published: Sat Jan 21 14:01:06 EST 2006

Associated Press Writer

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) _ Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels accused the army on Saturday of sending commandoes to assassinate top guerrilla leaders after an apparent explosion was heard in rebel-controlled territory.

Separately, two suspected rebels were killed and a police officer was injured in a shootout at a checkpoint in the country's north, the military and rebels said.

The apparent explosion in a Tiger-held area triggered rumors of an attempt to kill rebel leaders.

``We are all fine,'' S. Pulidevan, a top rebel peace negotiator, said of the rebel leadership.

The pro-rebel Web site TamilNet said a seven-member group of army commandoes had invaded rebel areas but fled when civilian volunteers and rebels counterattacked them Saturday morning.

The Defense Ministry's Media Unit denied that it had deployed any team to target rebel leaders.

Also Saturday, rebels opened fire when police at a checkpoint in Vavuniya district tried to search them, military spokesman Brig. Athula Jayawardena said.

``Police retaliated and killed two terrorists,'' Jayawardena said. One police officer was injured, he said.

Separately, police said they discovered more than 14 kilograms (30 pounds) of explosives hidden under a seat on a passenger bus bound for the northwestern town of Mannar on Friday.

The C4 explosives _ which can be used to make anti-personnel mines _ probably belonged to the Tamil guerrillas, police officer Upula Seneviratne said. Five passengers on the bus were arrested, he said.

Also Saturday, the military found the body of a Tamil Tiger intelligence agent shot dead in eastern Batticaloa.

A faction that broke away from the main Tamil Tiger group in 2004 may have been behind the killing, Jayawardena said.

Violence has soared in northeastern Sri Lanka in recent months, putting a four-year-old truce under increasing strain.

At least 78 members of government security forces have been killed in violence, mainly mine blasts, blamed on Tamil rebels since Dec. 4. The guerrillas have repeatedly denied any involvement.

Norwegian International Development Minister Erik Solheim, who played a key role in arranging the cease-fire between the government and the rebels in 2002, is scheduled to arrive in Sri Lanka on Monday to try to jump-start stalled peace talks.

The rebels have fought the government since 1983 to create a separate state for ethnic minority Tamils, alleging discrimination by the majority Sinhalese.

More than 65,000 people died in the fighting before the truce.

Discuss this story Published: Sat Jan 21 17:32:42 EST 2006

At least 78 members of government security forces have been killed in violence, mainly mine blasts, blamed on Tamil rebels since Dec. 4. The guerrillas have repeatedly denied any involvement.

Norwegian International Development Minister Erik Solheim, who played a key role in arranging the cease-fire between the government and the rebels in 2002, is scheduled to arrive in Sri Lanka - on Monday to try to jump-start stalled peace talks.

The rebels have fought the government since 1983 to create a separate state for ethnic minority Tamils, alleging discrimination by the majority Sinhalese.

More than 65,000 people died in the fighting before the truce.

Discuss this story Published: Sat Jan 21 05:16:12 EST 2006