Saturday, December 25, 2010
RUWAN WEERAKOON: Prabakaran and LTTE: Game over
RUWAN WEERAKOON: Prabakaran and LTTE: Game over: " by RUWAN WEERAKOON Prabakaran and LTTE: Game overLTTE leader Prabhakaran’s body was recovered by the Sri Lanka Army yesterd..."
Friday, December 24, 2010
PRABAKARAN AND LTTE: GAME OVER
by RUWAN WEERAKOON
Prabakaran and LTTE: Game over
LTTE leader Prabhakaran’s body was recovered by the Sri Lanka Army yesterday morning. He was in Tiger uniform and had been killed by a sniper bullet to his forehead.
The 4 Vijayaba Regiment(VIR) troops led by Lt. Col. Rohitha Aluvihare under 53 Division commanded by Maj. Gen. Kamal Goonaratne, found the body of the terrorist leader lying on the bank of the Nanthikadal lagoon. The sniper was waiting from 6:00 a.m. to take his target.
The 4 Vijayaba Regiment(VIR) troops led by Lt. Col. Rohitha Aluvihare under 53 Division commanded by Maj. Gen. Kamal Goonaratne, found the body of the terrorist leader lying on the bank of the Nanthikadal lagoon. The sniper was waiting from 6:00 a.m. to take his target.
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Around 7:00 a.m., Special Force (SF) sniper spotted through his telescope, a short heavily guarded Tiger leader in uniform, took careful aim and pulled the trigger. He saw very clearly the target being felled and, at the same time, he saw the rest of the LTTE cadres pull the body away. The sniper, meanwhile, gunned down the rest of the LTTE cadres as well.
A frantic message originated from a high frequency radio belonging to LTTE leader Prabhakaran, to Tiger intelligence leader Pottu Amman, saying, “Our leader has been shot.”
At the other end, Pottu Amman asked, “How is his condition?”
“He is no more with us,” said the desperate voice of the operator. There was no reply from Pottu Amman.
This radio message was intercepted by Military intelligence on Monday (18) around 7:40 a.m. The body of the world’s most ruthless terrorist leader was identified yesterday. Although reports circulated that the body was not found, it has been confirmed that Prabhakaran is dead. This was also confirmed by a close bodyguard of Prabhakaran, who was captured by the SF. He had said that his leader (Prabhakaran) had died. This hardcore LTTE cadre has been handed over to Military Intelligence for further questioning.
A frantic message originated from a high frequency radio belonging to LTTE leader Prabhakaran, to Tiger intelligence leader Pottu Amman, saying, “Our leader has been shot.”
At the other end, Pottu Amman asked, “How is his condition?”
“He is no more with us,” said the desperate voice of the operator. There was no reply from Pottu Amman.
This radio message was intercepted by Military intelligence on Monday (18) around 7:40 a.m. The body of the world’s most ruthless terrorist leader was identified yesterday. Although reports circulated that the body was not found, it has been confirmed that Prabhakaran is dead. This was also confirmed by a close bodyguard of Prabhakaran, who was captured by the SF. He had said that his leader (Prabhakaran) had died. This hardcore LTTE cadre has been handed over to Military Intelligence for further questioning.
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The Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI) had immediately asked his intelligence agents to get a positive confirmation on 18th morning. The DMI got confirmation after a few clarifications and its Director telephoned the Army Commander to inform him that LTTE leader Prabhakaran was dead. Around 9:00 a.m., the Army Commander informed the Defence Secretary and the Commander-in-Chief, the President, that Prabhakaran was indeed dead.
Battle well planned
As mentioned in this column last week, 58 Division under Brig. Shavendra Silva advanced north to south, and during the last stages of the battle, they were supported by the SF under Col. Athula Kodippili. The 11 SLLI linked with the 59 Division close to the beachfront, thus cutting off the sea escape route for the LTTE.
The 9 GW under Lt. Col. Lal Chandrasiri advanced towards the LTTE stronghold, which was, by now, limited only to 400 x 500 metres on Sunday (17), and consolidated their positions.
On Sunday (17) night, at around 10:00 p.m., the SF came under heavy attack by a group of LTTE cadres, along with several suicide cadres. The SF troopers opened fire at the group of Tigers while they were at a distance. This attack killed LTTE political head B. Nadesan, a ‘military commander’ Ramesh and LTTE Peace Secretariat head Puleethevan.
These attackers had disguised as civilians and crossed the Nanthikadal lagoon to mount an attack on 53 Division and open up an escape route for their leaders.
However, Army Intelligence had received prior information about the attempt by the LTTE to infiltrate from across the Nanthikadal lagoon, where 53 Division was located. The Army Chief had given instructions on Sunday (17) to the Commando Brigade Commander Ralph Nugera to deploy Commandos at Karaiyamulliwaikkal.
Battle well planned
As mentioned in this column last week, 58 Division under Brig. Shavendra Silva advanced north to south, and during the last stages of the battle, they were supported by the SF under Col. Athula Kodippili. The 11 SLLI linked with the 59 Division close to the beachfront, thus cutting off the sea escape route for the LTTE.
The 9 GW under Lt. Col. Lal Chandrasiri advanced towards the LTTE stronghold, which was, by now, limited only to 400 x 500 metres on Sunday (17), and consolidated their positions.
On Sunday (17) night, at around 10:00 p.m., the SF came under heavy attack by a group of LTTE cadres, along with several suicide cadres. The SF troopers opened fire at the group of Tigers while they were at a distance. This attack killed LTTE political head B. Nadesan, a ‘military commander’ Ramesh and LTTE Peace Secretariat head Puleethevan.
These attackers had disguised as civilians and crossed the Nanthikadal lagoon to mount an attack on 53 Division and open up an escape route for their leaders.
However, Army Intelligence had received prior information about the attempt by the LTTE to infiltrate from across the Nanthikadal lagoon, where 53 Division was located. The Army Chief had given instructions on Sunday (17) to the Commando Brigade Commander Ralph Nugera to deploy Commandos at Karaiyamulliwaikkal.
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On Monday (18) early morning around 2:30 a.m., the remaining LTTE leaders and cadres mounted a massive assault with heavy firepower across the A35 road, and managed to breach the 53 Division defense line and advance through the lagoon. Meanwhile, the SF and the Commandos who were expecting the terrorists, attacked them with MPMGs (Multi Purpose Machine Gun). This counterassault took the LTTE by surprise.
Commando Brigade Commander Col. Ralph Nugera had instructed his men to search among the mangroves in the Natnhikadal lagoon, for any hidden terrorists. The commandoes attacked them and were able to recover more than 40 bodies, including leaders, by around mid afternoon.
While troops advanced into the ‘No Fire’ Zone (NFZ), the Army Chief ordered the SF and the Commandos to be held as a reserve force. He knew that at any time the rest of the LTTE leaders would attempt to breach a defence line. And they killed over 100 LTTE cadres and leaders
While conducting search and clear operations in the general area of Vellamullaiwaikkal, in the evening of Monday (18), troops of 53 and 58 Divisions recovered over 350 bodies of LTTE cadres killed during the battle. Infantrymen of 53 Division have recovered 181 bodies, along with a large quantity of weapons and ammunition, Military sources said. Over Rs 10 million in cash was also found in the possession of a killed LTTE leader, Military sources added.
Commando Brigade Commander Col. Ralph Nugera had instructed his men to search among the mangroves in the Natnhikadal lagoon, for any hidden terrorists. The commandoes attacked them and were able to recover more than 40 bodies, including leaders, by around mid afternoon.
While troops advanced into the ‘No Fire’ Zone (NFZ), the Army Chief ordered the SF and the Commandos to be held as a reserve force. He knew that at any time the rest of the LTTE leaders would attempt to breach a defence line. And they killed over 100 LTTE cadres and leaders
While conducting search and clear operations in the general area of Vellamullaiwaikkal, in the evening of Monday (18), troops of 53 and 58 Divisions recovered over 350 bodies of LTTE cadres killed during the battle. Infantrymen of 53 Division have recovered 181 bodies, along with a large quantity of weapons and ammunition, Military sources said. Over Rs 10 million in cash was also found in the possession of a killed LTTE leader, Military sources added.
Troops sandwich Prabakaran, cadres
The SF lost many troops including one SF Commanding Officer Col Lafir. His body was recovered by an SF team that landed in helicopters despite heavy fire. That team was led by Prasanna de Silva, whose brilliant leadership helped the 59 Brigade to break the stalemate in the NFZ and sandwiched Prabhakaran.
Troops of 59 Division advanced from the south of the newly demarcated NFZ along the coastline, into the areas south of Vellamullivaikkal. The 59-3 Brigade under Lt. Col. Sujeeva Yapa with three Battalions under his command, 11 GR led by Maj. W.M.D.S. Gunawardane, 4 Sinha Regiment (SR) led by Maj. I.K. Lokukatagoda, 16 SLLI led by Maj. B.J. Lekamge, on Monday night surmounted the earth bund and crossed into the newly demarcated NFZ across the Nanthikadal lagoon and rescued 50,000 civilians held hostage by the LTTE, on Sunday (17).
The initial forward thrust was followed by the induction of the SF, resulting in a rapid wipeout of the remaining terrorist resistance in the area.
59 Division troops have brought around 500ms of the earth bund under their control. While troops were breaching the bund, the LTTE had deployed five suicide cadres in its attempt to resist the troop’s advance. The 59 Division troops had reached the Vellamullivaikkal area in Sarwarthottam when the LTTE launched five attacks deploying suicide cadres. As mentioned earlier, 58 and 57 Division advanced into the NFZ from north to south, and when the 59 Division too advanced from south to north, the remaining LTTE cadres were sandwiched in the area. To avoid being thus sandwiched, the LTTE attempted to breach 53 Division defence line, to try and escape through the Nanthikadal lagoon. But their attempt was foiled by the Special Forces Commander Col. Athula Kodippilai and Col. R. Nugera who wiped out the LTTE Terrorist leadership and the rest of the terrorists.
The SF lost many troops including one SF Commanding Officer Col Lafir. His body was recovered by an SF team that landed in helicopters despite heavy fire. That team was led by Prasanna de Silva, whose brilliant leadership helped the 59 Brigade to break the stalemate in the NFZ and sandwiched Prabhakaran.
Troops of 59 Division advanced from the south of the newly demarcated NFZ along the coastline, into the areas south of Vellamullivaikkal. The 59-3 Brigade under Lt. Col. Sujeeva Yapa with three Battalions under his command, 11 GR led by Maj. W.M.D.S. Gunawardane, 4 Sinha Regiment (SR) led by Maj. I.K. Lokukatagoda, 16 SLLI led by Maj. B.J. Lekamge, on Monday night surmounted the earth bund and crossed into the newly demarcated NFZ across the Nanthikadal lagoon and rescued 50,000 civilians held hostage by the LTTE, on Sunday (17).
The initial forward thrust was followed by the induction of the SF, resulting in a rapid wipeout of the remaining terrorist resistance in the area.
59 Division troops have brought around 500ms of the earth bund under their control. While troops were breaching the bund, the LTTE had deployed five suicide cadres in its attempt to resist the troop’s advance. The 59 Division troops had reached the Vellamullivaikkal area in Sarwarthottam when the LTTE launched five attacks deploying suicide cadres. As mentioned earlier, 58 and 57 Division advanced into the NFZ from north to south, and when the 59 Division too advanced from south to north, the remaining LTTE cadres were sandwiched in the area. To avoid being thus sandwiched, the LTTE attempted to breach 53 Division defence line, to try and escape through the Nanthikadal lagoon. But their attempt was foiled by the Special Forces Commander Col. Athula Kodippilai and Col. R. Nugera who wiped out the LTTE Terrorist leadership and the rest of the terrorists.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Sri Lanka Army captured yesterday afternoon, Vellankulam, the last Tiger bastion in the Mannar distric
By Ruwan Weerakoon in Colombo
Colombo, 03 August, (Asiantribune.com): Sri Lanka Army captured yesterday afternoon, Vellankulam, the last Tiger bastion in the Mannar district.
Map of Mannar
Map of MannarBy capturing Vellankulam, Sri Lanka Army’s 58 Division has liberated the entire Mannar district within eight months period. Army’s 58 Division commenced their operation to Liberate Mannar district in November 2007. Sri Lanka Army’s 58 Division is commanded by Brigadier Shavindra Silva.
To liberate Mannar, 58 Division mobilized 12 Infantry Battalions, and Commando Brigade, supported by the 5th Armoured Corp regiment, 15 Artillery Regiment, 9 Signal and Engineers.
In this operation, Sri Lanka Air Force deployed their MI 24 fighter helicopters to attacked LTTE bunkers and to bring reinforcement to Army personnel, meanwhile ground troops had given perfect locations of LTTE military installation which enabled the Air Force fighter jets to bomb the exact targets and destroy.
A battle front officer told Asian Tribune that the LTTE’s Jaffna commander Thleepan was commanding the Mannar battle front and he was given instruction over the radio to hold on to the position and not allow Army to enter Vellankulam, but Sri Lanka army faced easily the resistance forthcoming from LTTE and chase them away.
Infantry troops with the backing of artillery, captured the Vellankulam, the last coastal town in the Mannar district, located in the Northwest coast, along the A- 32 Road. Reports revealed that some soldiers have seen fleeing LTTE carders carrying bodies of their dead carders and that of those wounded.
After the capture of Velankulam, Sri Lanka Army’s 58 Division was seen marching towards Kilinonochi, while, 571, 572 and 573 Brigades attached to the 57th Division and elite Special Forces are tactically moving towards Thunukkai, Mallavi and Mankulam - which is located just 24 km from Kilinonochi Town.
In the meantime, the 572 Brigade which captured Vannivilankulam, south of Mallavi is now said to be moving towards Mankulam, and further north.
The Tigers are desperately trying to hold on to Mankulam, summoning additional cadres from the north to Mankulam to strengthen their defence.
One officer who commands the battle front said 'Army don't have forward defence line, but the Army do have forward offensive line'
- Asian Tribune -
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Troops Capture Thoppigala, the Last LTTE base in the East
More information on LTTE chief Pathmanathan's arrest
According to D.B.S. Jeyaraj, on this post, Pathmanathan was arrested at the Tune Hotel in Malaysia when he stepped out of his room to answer a phone call. Later, the Daily Mirror quoted an official at Tune Hotel who claimed that an internal investigation revealed that KP did not stay there.
However, Ruwan Weerakoon from Bottomline has pointed out that KP registered at the Tune hotel using a "bogus passport." The Bottom Line's defence correspondent, Ruwan Weerakoon, has spoken to senior Malaysian intelligence officials, as well as local sleuths, who grilled KP. His article in full is republished below with permission from The Bottom Line. I encourage you to read it on their website by clicking here.
Inside story of Operation KP
KP starts to spill more beans
2009 - 08 - 12
“The way I operated 25 years under cover, I never thought that I will be caught. But I was. During the final stages of the battle in the north of Sri Lanka, Prabhakaran wanted me to approach the international community on behalf of the LTTE leadership to force the Sri Lankan government to agree to a ceasefire. Therefore V. Prabhakaran has appointed me International Relations Head. I was able to persuade Norway’s Minister for International Affairs (Erik Solheim) to approach the USA to exert pressure on the Sri Lankan government to stop the military operations. Prabhakaran had told me that if the war continued, it would be the end of the LTTE as the Sri Lankan military was stronger than they had anticipated and the Tigers were getting weaker. He further stated that the tactics of the military adopted by General Fonseka is the end of LTTE. I had spoken with Vija Nambiar, Chief of Staff of UN Secretary General as well as Western diplomats and some VVIPs," Kumaran Pathmanathan had told the intelligence sleuths interrogating him in Colombo, adding that Prabakaran had instructed to use any amount of LTTE funds to stop the war.
KP also added that together with USA based V. Rudrakumaran, he had lobbied the international community and human rights groups to exert pressure on the Sri Lankan Government for a ceasefire.
A separate group based overseas had continuously lobbied the foreign media and on his instructions had separately contacted and entertained journalists to carry out propaganda, KP had told the interrogators. “I heard that most of those I used to contact in Sri Lanka are no more in the island,” he had told them. “The Eelam War IV was the toughest time. After over 30 years our leaders’ armed struggle was wiped out on May 18,” a dejected KP had added. KP is to spill more beans to the skillful intelligence officers currently interrogating him.
KP: The emerging LTTE leadership nipped in the bud
Now held within a confidential and highly guarded Sri Lankan defence establishment, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam’s (LTTE) chief weapons procurer and international financial head, Shanmugam Kumaran Tharmalingham, also known as Kumaran Pathmanathan, or just by his initials ‘KP’, has his wings clipped. Aspiring to lead the LTTE after its founding leader Velupillai Prabhakaran was killed by the Sri Lankan military, last May 18, KP had vowed to deviate from an armed struggle and instead form a ‘Trans-National Government (TNG) of Tamil Eelam. Incorporating the widely spread Tamil diaspora around the world.
Intelligence rapport pinpoints KP’s location
The main architect behind the success of the Sri Lankan intelligence services in apprehending KP has been none other than Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa. Rajapaksa built a strong rapport with the foreign intelligence services by making official visits to countries like Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia, where he had explained the importance of tracking down KP.
In addition, when the then Lieutenant General Sarath Fonseka took over the helm as Commander of the Sri Lanka Army, he realised the importance of the intelligence service, and revamped the entire network. He handpicked several officers to lead vital sections. This led to the neutralising of several high profile LTTE intelligence operatives in and around Colombo. One such person, who is currently heading the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI), who had coordinated work regarding the apprehending of KP, deserves a promotion as a Major General, sources indicated to this column.
During the height of the Eelam War IV, the Sri Lankan security forces recovered several satellite phones belonging to high profile Tiger leaders. The intelligence services had monitored each and every call that had originated or had been received by those phones. When Velupillai Prabhakaran’s satellite phone was recovered after he was killed, on May 18, intelligence officers found that the last call he had made was to Kumaran Pathmanathan. Almost at the same time, Sri Lanka’s State Intelligence Services (SIS) too had been monitoring KP’s telephone calls with the assistance of certain foreign intelligence services. Each and every bit of information, however insignificant, was routed to Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.
Through this tracking, the Sri Lankan intelligence services zeroed in on the possible locations where KP usually frequented, mostly in Malaysia. Once zeroed in on the possible location, a special team of intelligence officers visited Malaysia. Due to the sensitive nature of this classified information, this column will desist from naming the officers who flew to Malaysia. This team met with it;s Malaysian counterparts, the Malaysian Special Branch (MSB). The Malaysian officials readily agreed to send KP to Sri Lanka if and when arrested.
How KP was apprehended
An official from the Malaysian Special Branch told this column exclusively -- on conditions of anonymity -- that their unit had images of KP from theinterview that he had given to the UK based Channel 4 TV network. The network stated that KP was interviewed at an ‘undisclosed location.’
Later, the MSB sleuths had utilised computer technology to modify, identify, and verify that it was in fact KP who had been interviewed. “Though Channel 4 said the location was ‘undisclosed’, we easily identified the location”, added the MSB official.
KP is around 5 feet 7 inches in height, weight around 70kg. He walked into Tune Hotel and submitted one of his bogus passports and checked into the hotel on July 29 and he had told the receptionist that he would stay one week or two.
KP was occupying a room in Tune Hotel in Kuala Lumpur. He had booked a room for a week’s duration at US dollars 51 per day.
On August 5 around 8.30pm, Kumaran Pathmanathan, dressed in a T-shirt and trousers, came to the lobby of the hotel to receive some guests from the United Kingdom. Both guests were LTTE sympathisers. He accompanied them to the hotel’s restaurant for a meal. They ordered a vegetarian dinner for KP while for the guests it was crabs, jumbo prawns, seer fish and vegetables with a bowl of rice.
While they were thus enjoying a sumptuous dinner, some Malaysian Special Branch officers in plain clothes were monitoring their every move. They were even video taping KP and relaying the images to their headquarters for matching. The images were found to tally with their earlier images and KP’s identity was confirmed.
After dinner, when the trio was eating fruits for dessert, an MSB officer called KP on the mobile telephone number they already possessed. KP answered his mobile phone immediately to find the call being cut off. This was additional confirmation.
After KP accompanied his guests to the hotel’s main entrance and bid them goodbye and turned to retire to his room, the MSB officers showed their identity cards and apprehended him.
Questioning KP begins
Subsequent to the arrest, the MSB began questioning KP regarding his connections with extremist Hindu groups sympathetic towards the LTTE. A senior MSB officer said that the main such group of Malaysia, the Hindu Rights Action Force, was a potential threat to the country’s sovereignty and integrity, as well as security.
“We are in possession of evidence that KP has had close links with Hindu extremist rights activists. He has had lengthy discussions with this group and also with a senior Chief Minister in one of the provinces of Malaysia. Our intelligence is apprehensive that KP will resort to supplying weapons to this group, and also utilise Malaysia as a hub for his drugs trafficking the way he did for the LTTE,” a senior MSB officer said. The Hindu extremist rights activists' organisation is banned in Malaysia and this group is sympathetic to the LTTE.
When the Sri Lankan government was informed of KP’s arrest, a special flight was dispatched to Bangkok airport immediately. Though it landed at the Bangkok airport, the Malaysian authorities and civil aviation staff were very cooperative in keeping the details under wraps, so much so that hardly anybody knew of the arrival, or departure of this flight.
In the early hours of August 7, when the special flight landed at Colombo, a car with heavily tinted windows was waiting on the tarmac with a few security officers. The vehicle was heavily escorted by army and they whisked KP away to an undisclosed place where he is still being detained.
Who is KP?
Propelled by his friendship with LTTE leader V. Prabhakaran, KP saw a phenomenal rise within the organisation. Born in Jaffna on April 6, 1955 he entered the University of Jaffna in the mid 1970s and by the late 70s, had been involved with terrorist groups. He is said to have enjoyed immunity from the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) which supported the LTTE from August 1983 to July 1987. He took this opportunity to associate with Indian intelligence officers and this also helped him build a solid network which would come in handy later.
Some of the names attributed to him are: Shanmugam Kumaran Tharmalingham, Tharmalingam Shanmugan Kumaran, Kumaran Pathmanathan, Kutti Master, Kutti Siri - LTTE code names, Thambiah Selvaraja and Kuldi – the last name being used for arms procurement negotiations.
KP operated under a dozen aliases, using multiple passports, including Sri Lankan, Indian, Swiss, Malaysian, Thai, and Egyptian. Since the early 1980s, he has operated from India (Madras and Bombay), Malaysia (Penang and Kuala Lumpur), Thailand (Bangkok and Chiang Mai), and Cambodia. He also has visited the U.S, Europe and the Middle East to procure weapons and dual-use technologies. As the LTTE is a well-known terrorist group, KP operated through three dozen LTTE fronts, covers, and sympathetic organisations.
However, Ruwan Weerakoon from Bottomline has pointed out that KP registered at the Tune hotel using a "bogus passport." The Bottom Line's defence correspondent, Ruwan Weerakoon, has spoken to senior Malaysian intelligence officials, as well as local sleuths, who grilled KP. His article in full is republished below with permission from The Bottom Line. I encourage you to read it on their website by clicking here.
Inside story of Operation KP
KP starts to spill more beans
2009 - 08 - 12
“The way I operated 25 years under cover, I never thought that I will be caught. But I was. During the final stages of the battle in the north of Sri Lanka, Prabhakaran wanted me to approach the international community on behalf of the LTTE leadership to force the Sri Lankan government to agree to a ceasefire. Therefore V. Prabhakaran has appointed me International Relations Head. I was able to persuade Norway’s Minister for International Affairs (Erik Solheim) to approach the USA to exert pressure on the Sri Lankan government to stop the military operations. Prabhakaran had told me that if the war continued, it would be the end of the LTTE as the Sri Lankan military was stronger than they had anticipated and the Tigers were getting weaker. He further stated that the tactics of the military adopted by General Fonseka is the end of LTTE. I had spoken with Vija Nambiar, Chief of Staff of UN Secretary General as well as Western diplomats and some VVIPs," Kumaran Pathmanathan had told the intelligence sleuths interrogating him in Colombo, adding that Prabakaran had instructed to use any amount of LTTE funds to stop the war.KP also added that together with USA based V. Rudrakumaran, he had lobbied the international community and human rights groups to exert pressure on the Sri Lankan Government for a ceasefire.
A separate group based overseas had continuously lobbied the foreign media and on his instructions had separately contacted and entertained journalists to carry out propaganda, KP had told the interrogators. “I heard that most of those I used to contact in Sri Lanka are no more in the island,” he had told them. “The Eelam War IV was the toughest time. After over 30 years our leaders’ armed struggle was wiped out on May 18,” a dejected KP had added. KP is to spill more beans to the skillful intelligence officers currently interrogating him.
KP: The emerging LTTE leadership nipped in the bud
Now held within a confidential and highly guarded Sri Lankan defence establishment, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam’s (LTTE) chief weapons procurer and international financial head, Shanmugam Kumaran Tharmalingham, also known as Kumaran Pathmanathan, or just by his initials ‘KP’, has his wings clipped. Aspiring to lead the LTTE after its founding leader Velupillai Prabhakaran was killed by the Sri Lankan military, last May 18, KP had vowed to deviate from an armed struggle and instead form a ‘Trans-National Government (TNG) of Tamil Eelam. Incorporating the widely spread Tamil diaspora around the world.
Intelligence rapport pinpoints KP’s location
The main architect behind the success of the Sri Lankan intelligence services in apprehending KP has been none other than Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa. Rajapaksa built a strong rapport with the foreign intelligence services by making official visits to countries like Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia, where he had explained the importance of tracking down KP.
In addition, when the then Lieutenant General Sarath Fonseka took over the helm as Commander of the Sri Lanka Army, he realised the importance of the intelligence service, and revamped the entire network. He handpicked several officers to lead vital sections. This led to the neutralising of several high profile LTTE intelligence operatives in and around Colombo. One such person, who is currently heading the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI), who had coordinated work regarding the apprehending of KP, deserves a promotion as a Major General, sources indicated to this column.
During the height of the Eelam War IV, the Sri Lankan security forces recovered several satellite phones belonging to high profile Tiger leaders. The intelligence services had monitored each and every call that had originated or had been received by those phones. When Velupillai Prabhakaran’s satellite phone was recovered after he was killed, on May 18, intelligence officers found that the last call he had made was to Kumaran Pathmanathan. Almost at the same time, Sri Lanka’s State Intelligence Services (SIS) too had been monitoring KP’s telephone calls with the assistance of certain foreign intelligence services. Each and every bit of information, however insignificant, was routed to Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.
Through this tracking, the Sri Lankan intelligence services zeroed in on the possible locations where KP usually frequented, mostly in Malaysia. Once zeroed in on the possible location, a special team of intelligence officers visited Malaysia. Due to the sensitive nature of this classified information, this column will desist from naming the officers who flew to Malaysia. This team met with it;s Malaysian counterparts, the Malaysian Special Branch (MSB). The Malaysian officials readily agreed to send KP to Sri Lanka if and when arrested.
How KP was apprehended
An official from the Malaysian Special Branch told this column exclusively -- on conditions of anonymity -- that their unit had images of KP from theinterview that he had given to the UK based Channel 4 TV network. The network stated that KP was interviewed at an ‘undisclosed location.’Later, the MSB sleuths had utilised computer technology to modify, identify, and verify that it was in fact KP who had been interviewed. “Though Channel 4 said the location was ‘undisclosed’, we easily identified the location”, added the MSB official.
KP is around 5 feet 7 inches in height, weight around 70kg. He walked into Tune Hotel and submitted one of his bogus passports and checked into the hotel on July 29 and he had told the receptionist that he would stay one week or two.
KP was occupying a room in Tune Hotel in Kuala Lumpur. He had booked a room for a week’s duration at US dollars 51 per day.
On August 5 around 8.30pm, Kumaran Pathmanathan, dressed in a T-shirt and trousers, came to the lobby of the hotel to receive some guests from the United Kingdom. Both guests were LTTE sympathisers. He accompanied them to the hotel’s restaurant for a meal. They ordered a vegetarian dinner for KP while for the guests it was crabs, jumbo prawns, seer fish and vegetables with a bowl of rice.
While they were thus enjoying a sumptuous dinner, some Malaysian Special Branch officers in plain clothes were monitoring their every move. They were even video taping KP and relaying the images to their headquarters for matching. The images were found to tally with their earlier images and KP’s identity was confirmed.
After dinner, when the trio was eating fruits for dessert, an MSB officer called KP on the mobile telephone number they already possessed. KP answered his mobile phone immediately to find the call being cut off. This was additional confirmation.
After KP accompanied his guests to the hotel’s main entrance and bid them goodbye and turned to retire to his room, the MSB officers showed their identity cards and apprehended him.
Questioning KP begins
Subsequent to the arrest, the MSB began questioning KP regarding his connections with extremist Hindu groups sympathetic towards the LTTE. A senior MSB officer said that the main such group of Malaysia, the Hindu Rights Action Force, was a potential threat to the country’s sovereignty and integrity, as well as security.
“We are in possession of evidence that KP has had close links with Hindu extremist rights activists. He has had lengthy discussions with this group and also with a senior Chief Minister in one of the provinces of Malaysia. Our intelligence is apprehensive that KP will resort to supplying weapons to this group, and also utilise Malaysia as a hub for his drugs trafficking the way he did for the LTTE,” a senior MSB officer said. The Hindu extremist rights activists' organisation is banned in Malaysia and this group is sympathetic to the LTTE.
When the Sri Lankan government was informed of KP’s arrest, a special flight was dispatched to Bangkok airport immediately. Though it landed at the Bangkok airport, the Malaysian authorities and civil aviation staff were very cooperative in keeping the details under wraps, so much so that hardly anybody knew of the arrival, or departure of this flight.
In the early hours of August 7, when the special flight landed at Colombo, a car with heavily tinted windows was waiting on the tarmac with a few security officers. The vehicle was heavily escorted by army and they whisked KP away to an undisclosed place where he is still being detained.
Who is KP?
Propelled by his friendship with LTTE leader V. Prabhakaran, KP saw a phenomenal rise within the organisation. Born in Jaffna on April 6, 1955 he entered the University of Jaffna in the mid 1970s and by the late 70s, had been involved with terrorist groups. He is said to have enjoyed immunity from the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) which supported the LTTE from August 1983 to July 1987. He took this opportunity to associate with Indian intelligence officers and this also helped him build a solid network which would come in handy later.Some of the names attributed to him are: Shanmugam Kumaran Tharmalingham, Tharmalingam Shanmugan Kumaran, Kumaran Pathmanathan, Kutti Master, Kutti Siri - LTTE code names, Thambiah Selvaraja and Kuldi – the last name being used for arms procurement negotiations.
KP operated under a dozen aliases, using multiple passports, including Sri Lankan, Indian, Swiss, Malaysian, Thai, and Egyptian. Since the early 1980s, he has operated from India (Madras and Bombay), Malaysia (Penang and Kuala Lumpur), Thailand (Bangkok and Chiang Mai), and Cambodia. He also has visited the U.S, Europe and the Middle East to procure weapons and dual-use technologies. As the LTTE is a well-known terrorist group, KP operated through three dozen LTTE fronts, covers, and sympathetic organisations.
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