TRO frontliner to seek asylum in UK?

R. Srikanthan

LONDON: Sources close to the LTTE in the UK confirm that Executive Director of Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO) K. P. Reggie is planning to apply for political asylum in the United Kingdom.

Reggie arrived in the United Kingdom to attend the funeral of Anton Balasingham in December 2006 and has since been bogged down unable to return to Sri Lanka.

The Sri Lankan Government too had put pressure for his immediate arrest recently and this had made Reggie's predicament untenable. Reggie is accused of embezzlement of TRO funds and money laundering. The TRO is said to be one of the main funding arms of the LTTE.

In London, White Pigeon has substituted the activities of the TRO following a clamp down on the TRO by the Charity Commission. White Pigeon is accused of channelling large sums of money collected for tsunami relief in the UK to the LTTE via the Sri Lanka based TRO.

The only way Reggie could return to Vanni is by using the LTTE's clandestine shipping facilities.

This too had come under severe constraint following the bombing and drowning of three ships of the LTTE by the Sri Lankan Forces recently.

It is believed Reggie had visited the UK with a visitor visa, usually given for six months. Reggie is reportedly carrying out regular meetings with LTTE activists in the UK.

The meetings are said to be taking place in South London with the patronage of White Pigeon and the Tamil Television Network (TTN). Sources state Reggie fears to travel to other EU countries as he may be arrested under terrorism charges.

Some have suggested Norway or Switzerland. Reggie is expected to stay until the expiry of his British holiday visa to see the next course of action.