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Tamil Tigers admit leader is dead Tamil Tigers admit leader is dead
(20 minutes later)
Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels have admitted for the first time that their leader Velupillai Prabhakaran is dead.Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels have admitted for the first time that their leader Velupillai Prabhakaran is dead.
The BBC's Charles Haviland says that a statement issued by the Tigers said their "incomparable leader" had "attained martyrdom". A statement issued by the Tigers said their "incomparable leader" had "attained martyrdom" and declared a week of mourning.
The Sri Lankan army last week released pictures which it said showed the body of Prabhakaran. A spokesman for the group also told the BBC that it would now use non-violent methods to fight for Tamils rights.
It said he was killed as he tried to flee a last stand by the rebels in the north-east of the island. Sri Lanka's army last week released pictures it said showed Prabhakaran's body after its final offensive.
The statement from the Tamil Tigers (LTTE) said he was killed "fighting the military oppression of the Sri Lankan government" last Sunday.
The rebels had made a last stand in the north-east of the island after Sri Lankan troops cornered them in a coastal strip.
The Tigers' defeat brought to an end their 26-year fight for a separate Tamil homeland.
The statement was signed by the defeated group's head of international relations, Selvarasa Pathmanathan.The statement was signed by the defeated group's head of international relations, Selvarasa Pathmanathan.
It says that the Tamil Tigers (LTTE) had declared a week of mourning for their dead leader, starting on 25 May. It said that the LTTE had declared a week of mourning for their dead leader, starting on 25 May.
The statement calls on Tamils all over the world to "restrain from harmful acts to themselves or anyone else in this hour of extreme grief". The statement called on Tamils all over the world to "restrain from harmful acts to themselves or anyone else in this hour of extreme grief".
In an interview with the BBC, Mr Pathmanathan said Prabhakaran had died on 17 May but did not give details of the circumstances. 'Non-violent methods'
Mr Pathmanathan said the Tigers would now use non-violent methods to fight for the rights of Tamils. In a telephone interview with the BBC, Mr Pathmanathan said Prabhakaran had died on 17 May but did not give details of the circumstances.
Mr Pathmanathan said the Tigers would now use non-violent methods to fight for the rights of Tamils and "agreed to enter a democratic process to achieve the rights for self determination of our people".
Most of the Tamil Tigers leadership is believed to have been killed in the fighting.