Arrested LTTE operative wanted in various cases

(August 01, Chennai, Sri Lanka Guardian) The arrest of the chief of LTTE procurement module is being regarded by the Tamil Nadu police as a breakthrough of sorts as he was wanted in various cases of smuggling arms and other materials to Sri Lanka.

Thambianna alias Daniel (46), who clandestinely landed in Rameswaram by a ferry from Sri Lanka and came to Chennai later, was trailed by the police for a month. Intelligence IG Jaffer Sait told reporters here that police did so to crack his contacts before arresting him.

"Most of LTTE cadre arrested in the state have been working under his control and he was trying to smuggle petrol this time. He was wanted in connection with smuggling of explosives, swimming and communication equipment among others and was a member of the Sea Tigers," Sait said. He could not send the consignments from Ramanathapuram and was planning alternative routes through Tanjavur and Pudukottai.

Following police crackdown on the LTTE, they had shifted their sea route to Kerala, Sait said adding seven cases in 2006 and 48 in 2007-08 have been booked against various members of the proscribed unit.

Instances of smuggling of ball bearings and aluminium balls besides fuel and other equipment to the LTTE have been on the rise in the past two years. Thambianna was arrested from Valasaravakkam on Thursday and remanded to judicial custody.

Meanwhile, police on Thursday found 25 cans of some chemical meant for being smuggled to Sri Lanka buried among the bushes at Durgah Valasai near Rameswaram early Thursday morning. The chemical had been sent for lab tests as police suspect it could be used in warfare.
- Sri Lanka Guardian