Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger guerrillas Thursday accused the government of acquiring Russian-made chemical weapons and warned of "disastrous consequences" if they were used.
The rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) said in a statement: "We are perturbed over reports that the Sri Lankan government has purchased new infantry weapon system with chemical warheads.
"The acquisition of this banned weapon by Sri Lanka marks a new and dangerous escalation of the armed conflict in the island."
The Tigers warned President Chandrika Kumaratunga not to allow the military to induct the recently acquired missiles.
Government forces have tacitly admitted acquiring a Russian-made missile system that is banned internationally, but said they have not deployed it.
The LTTE urged the international community to condemn Sri Lanka for the acquisition of weapons with chemical warheads.
The rebels, who are fighting for independence in the island's northeast, said the move had undermined peace efforts to end the conflict which has claimed over 60,000 lives in the past three decades.
"This development has seriously undermined the efforts to peacefully resolve the Tamil question.
"Any confidence in such efforts continues to be eroded by the ongoing persistent aerial bombardment on towns and villages in the Tamil homeland," the LTTE added.
Security forces have stepped up aerial attacks against the LTTE since the guerrillas devastated the country's only international airport and the adjoining airbase on July 24.
The rebel attack followed a two-day bombing campaign carried out by the air force at the beginning of July -- COLOMBO (AFP)
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