TALKING POINT: Then there were ten...

The leader called his troops, and despatched this message. He said, "Mr John, (Mr Long John) please start a chain letter type rumour campaign saying 'tomorrow the LTTE will hit the schools."

The last line of each message however was to say - ignore this message at your peril. If you do not pass on this message to another ten, the LTTE will get you, or worse.

Of course, Long John who got the news from his leader operating from the Green operations room, did his job to a tee.

Until, that is, an overzealous and politically under-done provincial Councillor, a rather simple minded Katta-arrachi despite his name, said, why this bloody calling around, what? Let's unleash the poison fast. So he took his men to the school gates - and one shot style - loud-hailed the children and said "go home the Tigers are going to get you.'' So that's when the calculated rumour campaign finally came undone.
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