The government yesterday threatened to take legal action against the former Army Chief over his claims that troops had committed war crimes against the LTTE.

Former army chief Sarath Fonseka claimed early this month that troops shot dead surrendering LTTE leaders on the orders of the Defence Secretary during the final stages of the war in May.

"We are looking into taking some sort of legal action against General Fonseka in line with the Constitution and the laws of the country," Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said yesterday.

Fonseka, who is challenging President Mahinda Rajapakse in a January 26 election, has said he was given information about the alleged killing of the surrendering rebels by an unnamed state media reporter embedded with troops.