NIA finds Pakistan-LTTE connect after investigating case involving arrest of 7 Sri Lankans

On March 18 this year, the coast guard intercepted a fishing vessel from Sri Lanka and seized Rs. 3,000 crores worth of drugs, five AK-47 rifles and a large number of bullets during a raid on the Arabian Sea coast. Six Sri Lankan nationals were arrested and cases were registered against them under Arms Prohibition Act.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA), which began its probe in the matter, has found credible links that connect the operations to a Pakistani handler and also suspect it as a move for the revival of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), designated as a terrorist organisation by 32 countries, including the European Union, Canada, the United States, and India. The agency is also close on the heels of proving a Pakistan-LTTE nexus for various illegal activities in the Indian Peninsula.

In another operation on July 3, the anti-terror squad of Tamil Nadu in a dramatic covert operation swooped in to arrest another Sri Lankan national named Suresh, who had been reportedly living in Angamaly in central Kerala, close to the Kochi International Airport. It is learnt that the interrogation of Suresh, who is suspected to be a key underworld gang operative in Sri Lanka, has spilt the bean on various operations of the international network operating in India.

Possibility of LTTE revival?

On Tuesday, NIA charged the 7 Sri Lankans in the case under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). The accused include Nandana, Janaka Das Priya, Mendis Gunasekara, Namesh, Thilanka Madhushan, Nishanka and Suresh Raj. The premier agency has also found enough links to connect with the uprisal of LTTE and several raids were conducted in Chennai in connection to the same.

Reports suggest that former LTTE apologists are also on the radar and many links have emerged from these investigations. They are also tracing various hawala transactions that have taken place between Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

The agency admitted before the court that custodial interrogation revealed the gang transferred money to UAE via hawala networks for buying arms, ammunition and narcotics. As per NIA, the purchase of the same was carried out through a Pakistani national.

The digital forensic analysis of devices seized from the accused has revealed proof of LTTE connection, the submission made by NIA stated.