* White phosphorus targeting fleeing hostages  

* Use of civilians as Weapon of Mass Destruction (WMD)

LTTE terrorists are preparing the worst slaughter of civilians ever witnessed by the civilized world in modern times with the systematic use of hostages as a weapon of mass destruction, said defence observers commenting on the unfolding human tragedy at Mullivaikkal. Substantial evidence has surfaced from the battlefront that LTTE terrorists are using white phosphorous as a weapon in reprehensible attacks at both advancing security forces and hostages fleeing from the LTTE, the observer said.

What we are witnessing is outrageous and the worst exhibition of treachery against the very people it claimed to 'represent' over the years. Systematically the LTTE, an internationally banned terrorist outfit, has drawn the lines for the mass execution of Tamil civilians while crying out for a third party intervention to provide an escape route and sanctuary for the LTTE leader Prabhakaran and his band of terrorists.

According to reliable ground information received, terrorists are reportedly laying large quantities of white phosphorus surrounding makeshift camps of hostages within the narrow strip of land it still holds, and are burying improvised bombs that would ultimately result in a humanitarian catastrophe, with the bomb explosions leading to phosphorous burns on both civilians and advancing troops.

Then LTTE used this tactic at Visuamadu surrounding temporary shelters meant for elders with white phosphorous, were denied creating a major tragedy due to swift infantry advances there. "The use of such cowardly tactics is indeed worsening the unnecessary suffering of the hostages held at gunpoint and the indiscriminate use of such incendiary agents by the LTTE is reprehensible and should be noted by the international human rights community", the defence observer further said.

Meanwhile, 58 Division troops advancing along the A-35 main road, south of Rektavaikkal have recently uncovered a large haul of improvised phosphorous bombs, security sources said.

Protocol - III of the Geneva Convention on Certain Weapons 1980, prohibits and restricts the use of incendiary weapons: flame throwers, foul gasses, shells, rockets, grenades, mines, bombs and other containers of incendiary substances.