"A Western diplomat said that Senior General Than Shwe, who controls the junta, favoured crushing the protests with even more extreme violence.

Hla Htay Win is seen as a loyal follower of Than Shwe's deputy and potential rival, Vice Senior General Mg Aye, who is sometimes portrayed as a moderate.

At the height of the government's brutal crackdown last week there were widespread rumours that some troops in Rangoon had refused orders to fire on unarmed protesters. Rumours also suggest that Than Shwe was sufficiently worried as the street protests grew to send his family to safety in Dubai.

Miss Villarosa accused Than Shwe of personally ordering the violence, saying: "The stories are that he is isolated and that his staff are afraid to give him bad news but we do believe that he is the one to give the orders to crack down, so he is not totally out of touch."