KP arrested by Interpol

The LTTE's chief for cross border terrorist activities, Kumaran Padmanadan, Alias "KP" has been arrested in Bangkok Today evening by Interpol, sources in Bangkok said.

Kumaran Padmanadan is one of the most wanted terrorist by the International Police (Interpol) who has been running the global procurement network of the LTTE international Weapons net work.

According to Bangkok based leading daily ‘Bangkok Post’, Pathmanadan apparently had obtained Thai citizenship.

“He continued to run the global network of LTTE offices and its weapons procurement, logistics and money laundering operations.’

“He has been on Interpol's Most Wanted list for a number of years. He has also been implicated in several assassinations of political leaders.’

His arrest followed the detention in Ranong province last month of three LTTE operatives trying to buy guns and 45,000 rounds of ammuntion.

All four were suspected of running the LTTE gun-running ring centered in Thailand.

Pathmanadan, who also had a number of aliases, has recently been the subject of a manhunt that stretched to Johannesburg, Rangoon, Singapore and Bangkok. Police said they believed he had bank accounts in London, Frankfurt Denmark, Athens and Australia and has over 200 passports for his use.

He and his group are suspected of running weapons purchased Thailand and neighbouring countries to the LTTE in Sri Lanka. The Tigers have been desinated as a terrorist group by most western countries, but not Thailand.

A Jane's Intelligence report on the group stated that despite the cease-fire agreement in Sri Lanka, the LTTE continued to re-supply cadres. It said:

"While Cambodia is the hub of the LTTE East Asia Network, Thailand continues to serve as the most important country for trans-shipment of munitions and coordination of logistics... its excellent communications infrastructure, proximity to former war zones in both Cambodia and [Burma] and its western coastline facing the Bay of Bengal and Sri Lanka beyond have made Thailand the ancient interface between the LTTE's war zone."

More Details Will Follow .................