Prabha's body found but Poddu's corpse no show

The Sri Lanka Army's 53 Division today recovered the remains of LTTE Leader Velupillai Prabhakaran. The body was in tact, except for a part of the head and skull missing/blown off. Images show the corpse being inspected by the 58 Division Commander at Nanthikadal.

Although the battle on the banks of Nanthikadal lagoon took place on 18th dawn, the remains were largely identifiable, probably due to the effects of the sea. The remains of Soosei's corpse have also been recovered.

The remains of Poddu Amman, the mastermind of the LTTE, has not yet been recovered. We can only predict that his and the remains of a few other senior leaders will be recovered in the same way in due course.

Until this mornings recovery, Prabhakaran's fate was unclear and evidence inconclusive. The estimate given by the Army was that his remains should be found from either the boxed-in area now cleared, the Nanthikadal lagoon or from the destroyed Army ambulance.

It is only fitting that the recovery of Prabhakaran's mortal remains were discovered after President Rajapakse's speech this morning, which was made after Army Commander Sarath Fonseka's confirmation that terrorism has been wiped out.

It was obvious from President Rajapakse's statement prior to departing Jordan that he was indeed returning to a country which was already free of terrorism.