Three LTTE cadres surrendered to Sri Lanka Army yesterday (April 3) told that three bands of the LTTE terrorists known as Malthi, Radha and Charles Anthony are presently occupying the sacred Madhu church premises.

The three LTTE cadres who had surrendered to army camp at Kattiadampan in Mannar last morning also told that they had to dessert the outfit due to unbearable harassments they had to suffer in the hands of senior LTTE cadres.

According to the surrendees, they had been forcibly recruited to the armed mob called "police" of LTTE in year 2007, and were deployed for terrorists activities in the South of Madhu area after few days of training . The three youths had made an abortive attempt to dessert outfit few months back and later ended up at an LTTE torturing camp at Kanakapuram in Kilinochchi.

"We had suffered despicable inhuman treatments at the camp. However, they (LTTE) redeployed us in the Madhu area few weeks ago due to shortage of cadres, one surrendee has told a defence official. According to the surrendees, they had managed to escape the LTTE hold whilst they had been taken to Chettiyarkattiadmapan area, a week ago.

The surrendees have also revealed that large number of LTTE cadres belonging to Radha, Malathi and Charles Anthony bands had a strong presence in the Madhu church at the time that they had left the area. The terrorists had deployed their heavy and medium calibre weapons within 100 -75m range around the church premises and often launched attacks at security forces taking cover from the church, the surrendees have told. Also, they have revealed that the band led by Jeyam, had withdrawn his camp from Madhu church as his command from the back become ineffective to hold the LTTE cadres in the frontlines against advancing troops.