Character Encoding Error using new filters

[Zoran Avtarovski]

I have a really strange character encoding error that is appearing when I
attempt to change my struts2 filter configuration from:

    <filter>
        <filter-name>struts-cleanup</filter-name>
        
<filter-class>org.apache.struts2.dispatcher.ActionContextCleanUp</filter-cla
ss>
    </filter>
    <filter>
        <filter-name>struts</filter-name>
        
<filter-class>org.apache.struts2.dispatcher.FilterDispatcher</filter-class>
    </filter>
    <filter>
        <filter-name>sitemesh</filter-name>
        
<filter-class>com.opensymphony.module.sitemesh.filter.PageFilter</filter-cla
ss>
    </filter>

    <filter-mapping>
        <filter-name>struts-cleanup</filter-name>
        <url-pattern>/*</url-pattern>
    </filter-mapping>
    <filter-mapping>
        <filter-name>sitemesh</filter-name>
        <url-pattern>/*</url-pattern>
    </filter-mapping>
    <filter-mapping>
        <filter-name>struts</filter-name>
        <url-pattern>/*</url-pattern>
    </filter-mapping>


To

    <filter>
        <filter-name>struts-prepare</filter-name>
        
<filter-class>org.apache.struts2.dispatcher.ng.filter.StrutsPrepareFilter</f
ilter-class>
    </filter>

    <filter>
        <filter-name>sitemesh</filter-name>
        
<filter-class>com.opensymphony.sitemesh.webapp.SiteMeshFilter</filter-class>
    </filter>

    <filter>
        <filter-name>struts-execute</filter-name>
        
<filter-class>org.apache.struts2.dispatcher.ng.filter.StrutsExecuteFilter</f
ilter-class>
    </filter>

    <filter-mapping>
        <filter-name>struts-prepare</filter-name>
        <url-pattern>/*</url-pattern>
    </filter-mapping>

    <filter-mapping>
        <filter-name>sitemesh</filter-name>
        <url-pattern>/*</url-pattern>
        <dispatcher>REQUEST</dispatcher>
        <dispatcher>FORWARD</dispatcher>
        <dispatcher>INCLUDE</dispatcher>
    </filter-mapping>

    <filter-mapping>
        <filter-name>struts-execute</filter-name>
        <url-pattern>/*</url-pattern>
    </filter-mapping>


With only this change when I enter a 'æ' character (and e together) it
appears a A!|! (garbage). Clearly there is a character encoding issue here.
The whole app as well as Tomcat is encoded to UTF-8.

What am I missing here. Please help!!!

Z.