Lanka appreciates US-Singapore co-operation in terror probe

Welcoming the handing over of a politician allegedly involved with the LTTE to the US by Singapore, the Sri Lankan government yesterday said that the ongoing US investigation could shed light on clandestine links among the LTTE, Tamil Diaspora and some political parties.

Government sources told The Island that it was an example of how the international community could co-operate in combating terrorism.

Sources said that there could not be a previous instance of a government handing over a politician to another country to face terrorism charges.

Sources pointed out that the US was going ahead with investigations into alleged LTTE attempts to procure arms, ammunition and equipment from the US during the Eelam War IV though the war ended in May with the killing of LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran.

Sources said that the Singaporean government had secretly facilitated the transfer of Balldev Naidu (47), a wealthy businessman and co-founder of the Reform Party, to the US.

He is wanted on charges of acting as a broker between armaments suppliers and the LTTE between February and September 2006, as well as seeking to export arms illegally from the United States to Sri Lanka.

Sources said that Singapore had detained Naidu in September after the US brought his involvement with the LTTE to the notice of the Singaporean government.

His alleged Singaporean accomplice, Haniffa Osman (57), who pleaded guilty to the charges in 2008, was sentenced to 37 months' jail by a Baltimore court.

The Reform Party's Secretary General Kenneth Jeyaretnam is on record saying last month that the US charges involved activities alleged to have occurred before the party was set up in 2008.

Jeyaretnam had described Naidu as "a gentle family man and someone who would never intentionally become involved with terrorists or arms dealers".

Sources said that Kumaran Padmanathan alias "KP", now in Sri Lankan custody could be aware of Naidu's role. Sri Lankan operatives seized "KP" overseas shortly after he declared that he would lead the LTTE.

The Sri Lankan Navy recently seized an LTTE ship abroad and brought it back as part of the overall intelligence operations aimed at wiping off the Tigers.