By Walter Jayawardhana

Perinpanayagam Sivaparan alias Nediyawan (the tall one in Tamil)Who is rumoured to be the next leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has been questioned by the Norwegian police, a Tamil language website based in London said.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The editor of the website, Thesamnet.co.uk, Sivapalan Thambirajan said, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-We do not know why he has been questioned but we know he has been questioned.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The thirty three year old Nediyawan (or Tall one) unlike the second leader of the LTTE, in his personal dealings, trusted the power of brawn and is believed to be ruthless like his dead leader. He is supposed to have taken into custody a London man in Wanni, years ago because of a quarrel over the collections of a Hindu temple in the British capital during the heyday of the Tamil Tigers and illegally jailed him. He is supposed to have assaulted a former LTTE supporter in Norway over an argument only few weeks ago. He knew how to shut up anybody who was critical of him. He always moved with brawny and armed Tamil gang around him in the Tamil Vestlan area in Norway where he lives.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Nediyawan has been the head of the Tamil Coordnating Committee office in Norway, which handled millions of Norwegian money raked from the intimated Tamils in Norway and money earned from legal and illegal business conducted there. It is alleged like many other LTTE bosses he has become very rich. Tamil sources in Norway said, for that alone, if not for anything else he and his gang would try to keep the Tiger flag flying as long as possible.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The man known as Castro, who was in constant competition with KP to takeover the international dealings and procuring of arms from him was the God Father of Nediyawan. In fact, such activities for some time were in the hands of Castro when he handled it not very satisfactorily.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sri Lanka has said if the news that a Norway man is becoming or claiming to become the next LTTE is true they would request the Norwegian government to arrest him and hand him over to Colombo. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam is a proscribed terrorist group in the European Union but Norway is not a member of the EU.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The Norwegian newspaper Aften Posten quoted a high official of the Sri Lankan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and said: ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-He says he is “very shocked” to hear that a resident of Tamil Vestlan area is now referred to by a number of sources that one of the leading candidates for the leadership of the LTTE, also known as the Tamil Tigers.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The official said it is extraordinary to hear a potential leader of the LTTE could roam freely in Norway.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It is not yet known whether the Sri Lankan government has made a formal request from the Norwegian government to arrest Nediyawan.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Nediyawan is married to a woman called Shivagowri Shanthamohan. Her uncle (fatherƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s brother) Ranjan Lala Gnanendramohan was a pioneer member of the LTTE and confidante of Prabhakaran, a connection, that was used by Nediyawan to rise up. The not very studious Nediyawan was sent by the LTTE to Russia for higher studies but he did not obtain any degree.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Thereafter he functioned under Thamilselvan in the political wing and accompanied him to the fourth round of peace talks in Thailand. During the 2002-2005 era when the LTTE posted their political and intelligence operatives in foreign countries Nediyawan was posted in Norway.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Nediyawan is also suspected of secretly tipping off the Sri Lankan authorities to help arrest KP who is in the custody of the police today. KP was taken into custody in a hotel in Kualalumpur recently.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Speaking to Aften Posten in Oslo Professor Rohan Gunaratne , head of the International Center for political violence and terrorism research in Singapore said the Tamil man in question is a dangerous man and should be immediately extradited to Sri Lanka. He told the Norwegian publication: ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-This is one of the most important people in Tamil Tiger organization. This person is now in the process of restructuring the terrorist organization. He is a dangerous man who collects money and recruits people to terrorism.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚