Intelligence agencies in the lookout for LTTE operative in Kerala

By Arjun Raghunath | ENS

T'Puram, June 25:

The Central Intelligence agencies and the State Police are on the look out for Shiva, a native of Mullaitivu- a garrison of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Colombo, who is suspected to be playing a key role in re-grouping LTTE from Kerala.

The detention of about 35 Tamilians from Kollam in May and the subsequent arrest of Dennis and Antony Miller who were suspected to be providing support for the human trafficking of Sri Lankans through the Kerala coast, had provided the intelligence agencies with vital information about Shiva.

Highly placed sources said that Shiva, who is aged around 55, is a former LTTE operative and he is now arranging the funds for the regrouping of the LTTE cadres. His hideouts as well as the source of funds remain mysterious.

Similarly, the police are also on the look out for Dhanraj, a Sri Lankan Tamilian on whose direction Antony Miller was said to be arranging boats and other accessories like diesel and parachutes. The purpose of the parachutes might be to navigate the boat in the high seas by using it like a sail, said sources.

Antony Miller, who hails from a coastal area is quite familiar with boats as well as sea routes, and he has been providing the logistic support for the re-grouping efforts. The sources of fund of Antony Miller, who had purchased a boat for about Rs. 7.5 lakhs, still remaining mysterious.

Highly placed sources in intelligence agencies point out that it is quite easy to take asylum in Australia and hence the LTTE cadres seems to have opted that country as a destination for regrouping.

According to sources, all the those who had set on a sail to Australia were Sri Lankan natives. Regarding the presence of women and children among the 35 Sri Lankans detained in Kollam last month, the intelligence officials feel that it was an attempt to get the cover of tourists for their movement.

The attempts by LTTE to regroup from Kerala also exposes the loopholes in the state's security. The incidents occurred at a time when the state police have been initiating various measures to strengthen coastal security, including formation of Coastal Jagratha Samithis and setting up of Coastal police stations.

The police and intelligence agencies hope to gather more information about Shiva from Antony Miller who was sent to police custody on Friday. A police team led by Kollam SP Harshitah Attaluri is probing the case. The Central Intelligence agencies are also probing into the developments that attain international ramifications.

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