The deposed regional Tamil guerrilla military wing leader, Karuna, who is refusing to bow down to his leadership, has warned civilians living in the eastern region not to maintain 'secret ties' with the northern part of the country in an apparent move to prevent information about him leaking to the leadership.

Karuna's faction in a statement issued in the eastern Batticaloa town has said that the civilians living in the east also maintain vigil about 'suspicious persons' entering the region from the eastern province.

The statement said that Tamil guerrillas living in the eastern Batticaloa and Ampara regions 'are struggling for the rights of the people of the two districts' and therefore should take all measures to protect the region.

"We strongly urge the people of the District not to have any secret links with Vanni leadership and not to publish anonymous handbills with their instigations. If anyone comes to know about such persons, do not hesitate to inform the nearest LTTE office immediately," the statement said. "We also warn the people to be vigilant about movements of suspicious persons and to inform us immediately if such persons are seen."

The warning came as the group extended the ban on a Tamil newspaper reaching the Batticaloa region claiming that they were publishing news items adverse to Karuna's group.

The ban on the newspaper Thinakural was only effective in the Batticaloa town area earlier, but yesterday was extended to the entire district which would prevent the newspaper selling some 4,000 copies in the region.

Earlier, Karuna loyalists set fire to thousands of copies of the Thinakural published from Colombo. They claimed it was backing the Tamil guerrilla leadership in the north.

Thinakural News Editor Siva Ganeshan denied charges that they were backing the guerrilla leadership in Wanni.

Meanwhile, Karuna loyalists are alleged to be holding a newspaper editor and journalists hostage to force them to publish pro-Karuna news, reports from Batticaloa said.

P. Venugopal, editor of the pro-LTTE newspaper Thamil Alai published from Kokadicholai, was allegedly being held hostage with nine other journalists who have been forced to carry pro-Karuna news in the paper.