KP arrested

Chaminda PERERA

The self-appointed LTTE leader Shanmugam Kumaran Tharmalingam alias Kumaran Pathmanathan has been arrested in a foreign country, the sources said yesterday. He was in Interpol’s most wanted list for arms smuggling and criminal activities.

He was accused of arms smuggling and conspiring the assassinations of VVIPs including former Prime Minister of India Rajiv Gandhi in 1991. Kumaran Pathmanathan popularly known as KP was reportedly earning billions of US$ per month from LTTE fund raising activities and was in the habit of disseminating misleading news to evade arreste when he was nabbed in a foreign country.

Defence Spokesman and Foreign Employment Minister Keheliya Rambukwella told the Daily News yesterday that Sri Lanka is capable of arresting elements who are trying to sow the genesis of terrorism in Sri Lanka from foreign countries.

“We are not reluctant to take action against the LTTE activists in foreign countries after the terrorism was completely wiped out from the country, he said.

KP was entangled in an in fight with the US based LTTE activists for LTTE assets worth billions of US dollars after LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran and his cronies were killed by the Security Forces in the Mullaitivu district and the Government declared the war on terrorism was over.

It is reported that the Indian Government officials have informed several countries where KP was believed to be absconding to arrest him and hand over him to India in relation to the assassination of Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

According to defence sources KP played a major role in expanding the LTTE’s sea activities and had built up contacts with key officials in different countries.