Attacks to intensify, S Lanka rebel front warns

JAFFNA, Sri Lanka, June 10 (Reuters) A suspected Tamil Tiger front organisation today vowed to intensify attacks against Sri Lanka's military as mounting violence stokes fears that the island is sliding back into civil war.

The Tamil Resurgence Force, which emerged in December and is one of a clutch of groups the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) say have rallied to their cause, said it would also attack Tamil government allies.

The threat comes two days after the rebels plunged diplomatic efforts to salvage the peace process into crisis by refusing to hold talks in Oslo and demanding that truce monitors from European Union nations withdraw in protest at the LTTE's inclusion on an EU list of terrorist groups.

''All this while we reduced our activities and our attacks due to the GCE A-level examinations,'' the Tamil Resurgence Force said in a statement.

''Now that the exams are coming to an end, we would be intensifying our attacks on the military and EPDP in a few days' time. Hence we request the public not to unnecessarily move around on the roads and to avoid any movements close to military installations.'' The EPDP is a former paramilitary group opposed to the Tigers which joined the political mainstream and now has a cabinet minister. Analysts say militant members are involved in attacks on the rebels and their supporters.

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