By Mandana Ismail Abeywickrema 

The recently arrested LTTE’s self proclaimed leader and chief arms procurer, Kumaran Pathmanathan alias KP was responsible for building a large scale international network that was funded through drug trafficking and diaspora funding to militarily strengthen the organisation commencing the early 1990s.

The international operation launched by KP saw huge finances being used for floating companies in foreign lands, purchasing of ships, arms, etc.

KP commenced his international operation in the early 1980s and the pinnacle of his activities was witnessed since the early 1990s. During the early 1980s, the LTTE was involved in purchasing small arms and ammunition.

According to local intelligence units it was post 1990 that records of his international operations and arms procurements for the LTTE began to surface.

In the early 1980s KP operated mainly from India. Some of KP’s original aides in India are known to be Vakeel, Radha, Thavam, Eesan, Kumar, Ranjith and Shankar. KP did much fund raising in the US and Canada during 1988 and purchased much technological, electronic, aeronautical and communications equipment during this time.

However, the LTTE hierarchy decided to invest in purchasing arms on a large scale after the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) entered into the country and left in the early 1990s.

New weapons

The LTTE’s experiences during IPKF’s stint in Sri Lanka made the organisation realize the need for more sophisticated weapons. KP, who had by then laid the necessary groundwork by floating companies in foreign lands, purchasing vessels and made initial contact with arms dealers, was asked to increase his operations to secure the LTTE the latest weapons.

Intelligence units have recorded a drastic increase in arms procurements by KP for the LTTE after 1994. The peace process launched by respective governments since 1994 helped the LTTE replenish its armoury.

Security forces personnel who captured Killinochchi this year had come across 50 empty containers in the area. Intelligence units are still engaged in trying to find the contents that were inside these containers. The arms and ammunition so far uncovered by the security forces it is learnt could only fill just a few of these empty containers.

The intelligence units found that the LTTE had managed to smuggle in arms when the Indian Navy in the late 1990s intervened to intercept a vessel carrying arms for the LTTE.

The Ahat was the first arms shipment of the LTTE to be destroyed in the late 1990s. It was destroyed by the Indian Navy, which by then had started to keep a close watch on the organisation’s movements.

The next arms shipments to be destroyed were the Mari Amma and Showamaru vessels.

It is believed that about 8,000-10,000 tonnes of weapons have been destroyed with the destruction of LTTE arms vessels. The value of the weapons destroyed has not yet been calculated.

Destroyed

However, intelligence units believe that all LTTE arms vessels have now been destroyed.

The Sri Lanka Navy destroyed 10 ships since 2003 – Koi on March 10, 2003, Koimer on June 14, 2003, an unidentified vessel on September 17, 2006, Kiyoi on February 28, 2007, Seiyoo on March 18, 2007, an unidentified vessel on March 18, 2007, Manyoshi on September 10, 2007, Scishin on September 10, 2007, Koshiya on September 11, 2007 and Matsushima on October 7, 2007.

KP till 2003 managed to provide the LTTE with many sophisticated military weapons purchased from various parts of the world. Some of the known countries from where KP had purchased weapons include Cambodia, North Korea, Eritrea, Ukraine, etc.

A document known as “KP’s Deal List” that was uncovered during a search operation carried out in the residence of one of KP’s allies in India details a long list of weapons he had purchased and intended to purchase in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Bulk purchases

The files had indicated bulk purchases of gun boats, recoilless rifles, 106mm, torpedoes, RPG antitank and anti-personnel mines, Israeli grenades, 7362mm NATO rifles, ammunition, plastic explosives, sub-machine guns, night vision devices, G3, N16, M60 rifles, Czech pistols 9mm and large quantities of mortar and explosive substances and related equipment.

The documents have disclosed the price at which the arms were available in British Pound Sterling and have also contained certain unsigned requirements apparently sent to the arms dealers for procurement. KP used several companies floated by him in Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia as front organisations behind the massive operation.

KP commenced his international operation as early as 1983 from Madras in close association with Raghu alias Gundappa.

New company

During the same period, KP floated a company in Singapore called Arasu Maritime Pvt Ltd., with a start up capital of US$ 25,000. The company was floated with Capt Piraisoodi alias Capt David, a merchant navy captain.

The first vessel purchased by KP was the Emerald.

The MV Cholan, which was originally owned by a Chinese company and registered in Panama, was purchased in October 1984.

This ship had operated between Singapore, Penang, Sri Lanka, Vizag and Nagapattinam, carrying outboard engines, communication equipment and, is believed to have carried armaments as well.

During the period 1986-88, KP floated a new shipping company in Singapore called Plymouth Shipping Company in partnership with Capt Vijaykumar.

The ship purchased by this company too was used exclusively to supply the LTTE.

In 1989, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, KP floated a company called Vikram Holdings Pvt. Ltd in partnership with three Malaysians of Sri Lankan origin. KP’s partner in Arasu Maritime, Capt Piraisoodi was also one of the directors of Vikram Holdings.

During the same period, KP opened another company — Point Pedro Shipping — registered in Panama.

This company operated two ships — Sun Bird and Elicia — flying the flag of Honduras and was extensively used in transporting arms and ordnance from European countries.

Case pending

In December 1990, the Sun Bird, flying the flag of Cyprus, was caught in Penang with boat engines, communication equipment, etc. The case is still said to be pending in Malaysia.

Another ship called the Golden Bird is reportedly used for transporting many shipments bound for the LTTE.

During November and December 1990, KP was in Cyprus.

He was in touch with one Kumar and another named Kader, who were staying in Singapore.

KP loaded a consignment of arms on to the Golden Bird and Kader who joined KP in Cyprus had embarked on the Golden Bird to the Bay of Bengal in February 1991. The arms cargo was unloaded and sent to Jaffna in four installments, during March 1991.

The Golden Bird belonged to “Henseatic” registered with Orient Shipping in Germany. It is also learnt that in June 1991 KP visited Singapore and went to the Thai-Cambodia border in the third week of July, where he negotiated arms purchases from the KPNLF.

Also, MV SWENE carrying 60 tonnes of C4 explosives consigned to M/S Carlton Trading Co. Ltd., in Dhaka, Bangladesh and a consignment of detonators consigned to E G C T International Ltd., Rangoon, Burma had left port of Nikolaev on August 19, 1994 and sighted past Istanbul on August 25, 1994.

There had however been no record of her voyage till she was reported leaving the Port of Lagos for the Port of Banjul in Gambia. Intelligence believe that in the intervening period of this north bound voyage the vessel had off loaded the cargo to LTTE having entered the Indian Ocean.

With the names of his companies and vessels becoming public knowledge, KP resorted to looking at other leased vessels to carry arms to the country. The Sri Lanka Navy destroyed 10 such ships since 2003.

However, there is yet no proper evidence to find the source of finance behind KP’s massive operation.

Although members of the LTTE have known to be engaged in gold smuggling, it is believed to have not provided large sums of money for large-scale arms procurements.

Investigations conducted by local intelligence units have drawn a link between the LTTE and drug trafficking. It is stated that during the height of KP’s military procurements, of the people apprehended by authorities world wide for drug trafficking over 80% had been Tamils.

Local intelligence units have uncovered that the LTTE was even involved with the Colombian drug traffickers.

In fact, the American authorities that had taken into custody a semi submersible vessel belonging to Colombian drug traffickers carrying massive amounts of narcotics had apprehended two Tamils of Sri Lankan origin as well.