Flash !
(update - 3)
COLOMBO: LTTE’s international arms procurer, KP now in Sri Lankan custody had held a number of appointments in the organization since 1981.
KP, one of the most trusted confidantes of VELUPILLAI PRABHAKARAN was the secretary of LTTE international affairs after he proved himself to be an effective international coordinator for some time. He became the Director of WICKRAMS Holdings Shipping Lines of the LTTE in 1984. Expanding his role further, he joined as a Director to the Marine Shipping and Trading Ltd in UK. He also started exports/imports from Malaysian market to the UK in order to collect funds for LTTE procurements under his KP department. Gradually, UK based Marine Shipping and Trading Ltd became the LTTE’s official shipping company.
KP later became the Head of LTTE International Relations and operated as the new LTTE leader of the so-called Provisional Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam.
KP after confidence he received from LTTE leadership took over LTTE shipping and later on started chartering merchant vessels. He also very tactfully developed close links with illicit arms traders, drug barons and international Mafia networks. He also maintained close links across Afghan border. In 1991, KP disguised after a plastic surgery migrated to Thailand where he had got married. He later on began to visit arms manufacturing countries in the former Soviet bloc and Yugoslavia, Middle East, Africa and developed contacts with dealers in Hong Kong, Singapore, Lebanon, Thailand and Cyprus. He masterminded sales of clandestine weapon sales for terrorist groups for many years and skillfully managed transfer of weapons using trawlers Simultaneously, he developed most modern procurement systems winning the highest confidence among major arms dealers. Increased movements of the LTTE shipping fleet became an ideal mode of travel for KP since transits via airports and seaports while onboard proved very easy without any hassle.
His wide travels to various international destinations included France, Cyprus, Thailand, New Zealand, Australia, Cambodia, Pakistan, Norway, UK and a few other countries.
KP actively canvassed to bring about international pressure on Colombo and enforcement of a ceasefire towards the latter part of the Wanni operations. His quite diplomacy inducted, encouraged and financially supported demonstrations in western capitals against the Government of Sri Lanka. The spirited advocate of Tamil separatism in his statements identified the Diaspora as “Eelam Tamils” and considered Sri Lankan Government as an alien rule.
On 10th September 2007, Thailand’s “Bangkok Post” announced that KP was arrested by the Thai Police but both Indian and Sri Lankan authorities when approached for confirmation have been told that KP had not been arrested.
In a hurriedly dispatched announcement on 18th May 2009, KP said Prabhakaran was still alive in a safe place but he later on revised the statement. His detractors however blamed him for the first statement and also on his subsequent position on Prabhakaran.
As late as 5th August 2009, in another statement issued by him, KP once again talked on Tamil Eelam, nationhood, homeland, right to self-determination and separate country for Tamils.
