SL to closely monitor Sivaparan probe
Rasika Somarathna
*Revealed as key Tiger member
*LTTE fund raising still on
Sri Lanka would keep a close watch on the developments in the probe
against leading LTTE activist Perimpanayagam Sivaparan alias Nediyavan
who was arrested in Oslo, an External Affairs Ministry official said. He
said that the officials would keep track of the case and charges leveled
and make inquiries into the alleged terrorist activities of Nediyavan
affecting Sri Lanka.
Nediyavan, according to media reports. was arrested on charges of
alleged illegal fund raising and terrorist activities.
Meanwhile, Norwegian Opposition Conservation Party Defence and
Security Committee Chairman Peter Gitmark has said that Norway must
follow the European Union and proscribe the LTTE in the country.
�It is wrong to allow the LTTE to operate in Norway,� he told the
BBC.
Confirming the recent detention of a leading LTTE activist by the
Norwegian police, the MP said Sivaparan is wanted by the Dutch police.
�We have an investigative team coming from the Netherlands to question
him.
�I also hope the Norwegian police would be able to interrogate this
man to shed information on the LTTE activities in Norway,� said Gitmark.
He also claimed that there are recent reports of LTTE illegal fund
raising in Norway.
�I think it is not in the interest of the people of Sri Lanka for the
LTTE to raise money in Norway and other places to renew its violent
struggle against the government of Sri Lanka,� the Conservative Party MP
told the BBC.
�There had been numerous recent reports on the LTTE raising money in
Norway. I have urged the Norwegian police to take immediate action to
see if this is the case and if that is the case to punish the
responsible�.
Dutch police however had not revealed the details of Nediyavan�s
interrogation, the BBC said. In April 2010, Police in the Netherlands
arrested several Tamil community leaders in the country.
Computers, paperwork, phones, documents, photos, DVDs and over 40,000
Euros were seized.
�Among the suspects are the leaders of various organizations of
Tamils in the Netherlands, which probably play a role in the
international network of the LTTE,� the Justice Ministry said in a
statement.
Leaders of the Tamil Co-ordinating Committee, the Tamil
Rehabilitation Organization, the Tamil Youth Organization, the Tamil
Women Organization and the Tamil Arts and Cultural Organization
Netherlands, are believed to be among the suspects, the BBC said.
According to reports Nediyavan is believed to be a key member of the
overseas network of the LTTE, which is banned in 33 countries including
the USA, UK, Australia and European Union but not in Norway.
Meanwhile, Norway News said, Nediyawan is a prominent figure and new
leader to the LTTE who had to explain himself behind closed doors to
Dutch authorities in a judicial interrogation at Oslo District Court on
Wednesday and Thursday.
A Dutch judge and five Dutch Defence Attorneys are in Norway to
interrogate Nediyavan, who is a resident of Norway. Nediyavan is to be
interrogated over two days, and is pointed out by several people to be a
key leader of the LTTE. |