Key LTTE operative still absconding

Arjun Raghunath

First Published : 10 Jul 2010 04:09:47 AM IST

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It is Paraparan Sivam from Jaffna and not Shiva, the key operative behind the regrouping of LTTE cadre from Kerala and Tamil Nadu coasts, who was held by the Kollam police with the help of Central Intelligence Bureau from Tirunelveli the other day.
Top intelligence sources told `Express' that Shiva, a native of Mullaitivu a garrison of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Colombo, is still absconding. He is suspected to be playing the key role in the regrouping of LTTE cadre. ``We are yet to get any clue regarding the whereabouts of Shiva. The arrest of Shiva would be a major breakthrough in cracking the whole network,'' the source told `Express.'
The intelligence agencies have also received a vital information from Paraparan Sivam that a group of people, including seven LTTE members, were trafficked to Australia in a boat from Kanyakumari in 2008. There is also information that Sunder Rajan, who is also a native of Jaffna and believed to be second to Shiva in the LTTE regrouping network, was held by the Tamil Nadu police about three months back on charges of human trafficking. He is still in Chennai prison. Paraparan is a close aide of Sunder Rajan.
The intelligence agencies have also received vital information that the LTTE cadre were being illegally trafficked not only to Australia, but to countries such as the UK, France and Italy. Besides setting up a safe haven for regrouping and planning further course of operations, gaining more funds for the operations is also an intention of the human trafficking to these countries, said sources.
Another person in the network, identified as Tony, who purchased the boat `Wahid' from Kozhikode, is still absconding. Sivam told interrogators that he had deposited the money for purchasing the boat in the bank. The money was routed through hawala channels. The LTTE operations from the state came to light following the detention of about 35 Tamilians in 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.