Speaking about the networking of the LTTE Dr. Gunaratne said ' The aim of the LTTE international organization is to support the LTTE domestic organization. It does so by operating through front cover and open offices and cells in 54 countries. The head of the LTTE international network is Tharmalingam Shanmugam Kumaran alias Kumaran Pathmanathan alias KP. Today the LTTE international secretariat is based in East Ham, London, but most of its activity is carried out from Eelam House, a Tamil community front organization in the heart of London and about 30 of its affiliated organizations. The Secretary of the International Secretariat is V. Manoharan. He is based in the LTTE office in Paris. V. Manoharan succeeded Lawrence Tilagar in April 1997. Before Tilagar, the head of the international secretariat was Sathasivam Krishnakumar who was based in London and thereafter in Switzerland. The non-political roles of the three successive heads of the LTTE international secretariat is well established.

The first head Sathasivam Krishnakumar alias Kittu was LTTE Jaffna military commander. He committed suicide on board Yahata also know as Ahat in January 1993. Ahat was a LTTE ship transporting lethal cargo into the Sri Lankan waters.

Although his successor Lawrance Tilagar potrayed himself as a civilian, there are photographs of him in military uniform. Tilagar has been demoted and is currently serving in the Wanni. V. Manoharan, the current head of the international secretariat, was fined 120,000 French francs, imprisoned and thereafter confined to a community area by the French authorities for possession of heroin in 1985. It is Manoharan who has signed a petition challenging the US designation of the LTTE as a terrorist group. Since May 1999, V. Manoharan has been under the direct supervision of Anton Balasingham, the LTTE political advisor and ideologue, who is currently in London.

Malaysia prior to 1990, and thereafter in Thailand. Procurement operations have shifted to Europe and to the Middle East, and more recently to the Balkans. Unlike in the case of the Sri Commenting on the procurement capabilities of the LTTE he said ' Traditionally, LTTE international procurement operations in Asia were conducted from centres in India prior to 1987, Lankan government, LTTE procurement has been threat-driven and not supplier-driven. That is the LTTE procures equipment it desperately needs and not the equipment that offers the highest commission. Therefore, international procurement has assisted the LTTE in a remarkable way to enhance their battle performance against the Sri Lankan forces.

About 80% of the weapons currently in the possession of the LTTE has been appropriated from the Sri lankan security forces from raids on security forces installations. As the LTTE is keen to build a semi conventional force, it has concentrated on purchasing internationally only two categories of equipment. First, stand off weapons, which can help the LTTE to preserve its strength and fight a conventional army. They are Light Anti Tank Weapons, Rocket Propelled Grenade Launchers, Surface to Air Missiles, 81-millimeter mortars. Second, dual user category equipment such as weaponry foresights, speed boats, diving equipment, marine antennas, communication equipment, satellite communication facilities, micro filming Machines, scrambler telephones, etc.

The LTTE had purchased two huge consignments of weapons from overseas. About 60 tonnes of high explosives from Ukraine was purchased by the LTTE in mid 1994 after floating two front companies - the Euro-Ukranian Consultancy Agency Ltd in Ukraine and Carlton Trading Company Ltd in Bangladesh . The initial payment of US $ 40,000 was handed over by Sothilingam Shanthakumar, who was subsequently arrested and released by the Criminal Investigations Department of Sri Lanka. The explosives 10 tonnes of plastic and 50 tonnes of TNT was used for the bombing of the Central Bank and World Trade Centre in Colombo; the Temple of the Tooth relic in Kandy; the commuter train in Dehiwala; and the mayors office in Jafffna. These explosives, used both in the manufacture of anti-personnel mines and suicide jackets have led to maiming of several thousands of civilians, Sri Lankan soldiers and political - 2 - and military leaders. Explosives experts estimate that there will be no necessity for the LTTE to procure explosive for aleast another ten years because during the past three years the LTTE has used only about a tenth of the Ukranian consignment. The internationally financed Ukraine procured explosives consignment will continue to kill and main several thousands of civilians, troops, and leaders in the years ahead.

In a very recent investigative report by David Osler in the Lloyds List (published in London) titled ` Tigers Seek Legitimacy' startling revelations are made about the shipping network operated by the LTTE globally. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, which has waged separatist insurgency in Northern Sri Lanka since 1974, is one of the world's more unusual shipowners.

` Shipping is just part of a bigger picture that includes stock and money market investments, real estate, restaurants, farms shops and finance companies' says David Osler in his article. The Tigers had only limited shuttle capability between India and Sri Lanka. That was rapidly proving insufficient as the rebels began to source weapons from such governments as North Korea and Myanmar, and arms dealers in Europe and the Middle East.

Like any shipper in such circumstances, the Tigers turned to the chartering market to support its logistics needs. But this only created further problems

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