Militant Muslim youth are receiving weapons training and some are even believed to have been despatched abroad for the same purpose, informed sources told The Island on Tuesday.

This is part of the strategy for the community to defend itself against onslaught by the LTTE, the sources said.

"We are aware of their approach but it poses a grave danger to the stalled peace process," sources said. The ongoing wave of LTTE attacks on Muslims in and around Muttur, the latest in a series of attacks subsequent to the government-LTTE ceasefire agreement reached in February, last year, appeared to have strengthened the voice of Muslim hardliners, the sources said.

Government’s failure to offer the community a stronger assurance of safety had also been contributing to the new trend, the sources felt. Responding to questions, the sources said that these elements were believed to have established contacts with powerful Muslim groups abroad and were in the process of receiving assistance. The sources revealed identities of some based in Muttur and Kalmunai involved in preparing a plan of their own to resist the LTTE.

National Unity Alliance (NUA) leader Ms. Ferial Ashraff on Tuesday warned of the Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe’s government of the possibility of Muslim youth taking to arms to defend themselves.

SLMC leader Rauff Hakeem strongly criticised the NUA leader for making what he described as irresponsible statements. But sources in his camp told The Island, that the government’s sluggish response to LTTE atrocities have forced the Muslims to take some forceful decisions. "Hakeem doesn’t approve of an armed response. He wants to win his demands through political means. But unfortunately sharp divisions in the SLMC appeared to have weakened Hakeem’s bargaining power," the sources said.

The LTTE, observers believe, has been carrying out a systematic campaign directed at weakening the Muslims, primarily to emphasise their growing power in government-controlled areas. For instance, a group of Tamils on the orders of the LTTE set fire to the national flag at Samanthurai, informed sources said. The flag had been hoisted by Minister Rauff Hakeem in the presence of Minister and key government negotiator Milinda Moragoda at a function held at the newly constructed Samanthurai Divisional Secretariat office. "We were humiliated," one of the present said.

The source emphasised that it would not have happened if the ceasefire agreement did not give them unrestricted access to government-held areas in the north-east. "They are taking advantage of the ceasefire to extend their power to areas outside their territory," he said.

The sources said that the LTTE were targeting Muslims, particularly those pressing for a tougher stand. LTTE killed A.K. Fareed and Haneefa Riaz on August 13 as they fearlessly stood for the rights of the Muslims. They were killed soon after Hakeem’s visit to the area. Obviously it was a warning, the sources said.

The sources said that the LTTEers were trying to take over 2000 acres of fertile land north of Muttur. "These lands are in dispute. The LTTE wants to drive the Muslims out of the area and establish its control. But, Muslims were determined to hold on to their land," the sources said, reminding former eastern province LTTE leader S. Karikalan’s controversial views on land issues. Commenting on the seizure of land belonging to the Muslims, Karikalan bluntly said that the LTTE took legitimate steps to regain land that should have been rightfully theirs (Tamils’). Karikalan was unceremoniously replaced as Muslims vehemently protested. It was followed by an agreement between the LTTE and the SLMC, the sources said. The LTTE assured the SLMC that nothing would be done to jeopardise their newly found relationship. However it was brief. Once when a group of SLMC MPs challenged Hakeem’s leadership, the LTTE renewed its scheme to weaken the Muslim community in the east, the sources said.

In response to the ongoing wave of killings and efforts to cripple their economy, the Muslims have begun grouping themselves to protect their lives and livelihood.

They also fear the possibility of the government further reducing police (STF included) and security forces presence in the east. The STF was not the force it used to be, the sources said. Some Muslims have publicly expressed their desire to join the STF, the sources said, adding that however many were convinced that they should form their own armed cadres to resist the LTTE.