Dibrugarh (Assam): The insurgent outfit ULFA yesterday (Jan 15,2007) expressed willingness for talks with the Centre and said groundwork for this should be prepared by releasing their top leaders from jails.

"The ULFA top leaders are very much willing to come out for negotiations but the groundwork should be prepared. This will be only possible if the jailed leaders are released", a top ULFA leader told sources.

The insurgent leader, however, accused the Centre of creating hurdles in the current peace process.

He claimed ULFA has formed a 50-member suicide squad for deployment in upper Assam to avenge the death of its cadres, in the ongoing army operations in Assam.

He said the recent massacre of 70 Hindi-speaking people in Assam was "a ploy to put pressure on the Centre to release the jailed five top ULFA leaders".

The Centre had suspended talks with ULFA in October last year following violence unleashed by the militant group.