Date:18/01/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/01/18/stories/2008011859501000.htm

Tamil Nadu

LTTE activist, seven others arrested

Special Correspondent

He was trying to procure iron balls, other material
He had made arrangements to smuggle contraband to Sri Lanka

CHENNAI: An LTTE activist and seven other Sri Lankan Tamils have been arrested by the Tamil Nadu police for offences including conspiracy, supporting a banned organisation and violation of the Foreigners Act.

According to police, following information received by the State Intelligence, Nathan alias Suruli alias Thambidurai Parameswaran of Jaffna, belonging to the Tigers intelligence wing and staying as a tenant in a house at Madipakkam on the city’s outskirts, was arrested on Wednesday night.

Parameswaran had arrived by boat clandestinely at Rameswaram in February last year. He later reached Chennai where he took up taxi driving as a cover for his other activities.

He was allegedly trying to procure iron balls, plastic granules, two-wheelers and boats for the LTTE from Puducherry and Rameswaram. For this, he had utilised the services of Sri Lankan Tamils Joseph Alantin Regan alias Regan, Kesavan, Ganesh Anand alias Anand, Aravindan alias Kusalaraj, Parris alias Parris Raj, Sudhanan alias Sudarsan and Akilan alias Padmaraj.

He had also made arrangements with boat owners of Rameswaram for smuggling the contraband to Sri Lanka.

He attempted to collect information about the activities of those opposed to the LTTE, Varadaraja Perumal and Sri Lanka Minister Douglas Devananda and his assistant Yogaraj.

Timely action

His conspiracy was thwarted due to the timely action taken by the Tamil Nadu Intelligence wing, the police said in a press release.

Those arrested were remanded to judicial custody. A sports utility vehicle which had been purchased using hawala money and model plastic raw products, meant for the LTTE, were seized.