Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04COLOMBO311
2004-02-25 10:18:00
SECRET
Embassy Colombo
Cable title:  

OFFICIAL INFORMAL NUMBER 030 (02/25/04)

Tags:  AMGT CE MV 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 000311 

SIPDIS

OFFICIAL INFORMAL

FOR SA/INS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/25/14
TAGS: AMGT CE MV
SUBJECT: OFFICIAL INFORMAL NUMBER 030 (02/25/04)

Classified by DCM James F. Entwistle for reasons 1.5 (b) and
(d).

CONTENTS: SRI LANKAN NUCLEAR MIDDLEMAN TAHIR
TIGERS WARN RE FREE MOVEMENT OF VOTERS
ELECTION ASSISTANCE
MALDIVES
SCHLOSSER VISIT

SRI LANKAN NUCLEAR MIDDLEMAN TAHIR
----------------------------------

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 000311

SIPDIS

OFFICIAL INFORMAL

FOR SA/INS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/25/14
TAGS: AMGT CE MV
SUBJECT: OFFICIAL INFORMAL NUMBER 030 (02/25/04)

Classified by DCM James F. Entwistle for reasons 1.5 (b) and
(d).

CONTENTS: SRI LANKAN NUCLEAR MIDDLEMAN TAHIR
TIGERS WARN RE FREE MOVEMENT OF VOTERS
ELECTION ASSISTANCE
MALDIVES
SCHLOSSER VISIT

SRI LANKAN NUCLEAR MIDDLEMAN TAHIR
--------------


1. (S) We have been following press reports and Embassy
Kuala Lumpur cables regarding the Pakistan-related nuclear
proliferation activities in Malaysia of Sri Lankan citizen
B.S.A. Tahir. We've uncovered no information here to date.
Today, however, a Sri Lankan businessman came in to discuss
his knowledge of Tahir with POL. POL's writeup follows. It
strikes us as pretty thin gruel but you may want to bounce
it off EAP and the proliferation folks to see what they
think. We can get back in touch with the businessman if
need be.

BEGIN TEXT

Participants: Mr. P. Sunderlingam, poloff Tomaszewicz
Location: US Embassy Lobby
Date: February 25, 2004

Mr. Sunderlingam stated he had read the Sri Lankan newspaper
SUNDAY TIMES on Sunday, February 22, 2004 regarding a story
about a Sri Lankan national, B.S.A. Tahir, and his alleged
involvement with the selling of Pakistani nuclear secrets.
The news article stated that another Sri Lankan, Harry
Jayawardene, who had reportedly blackmailed Tahir, could not
be positively identified or located.

Mr. Sunderlingam stated that Harry Jayawardene was indeed a
real person, whom Sunderlingam had met on at least one
occasion in the past. Sunderlingam explained that, as a
businessman in the garment industry, around 1994-1995 he had
met Tahir's father, who was the owner of a garment factory
at that time. During his association with Tahir's father,
he was introduced to Harry Jayawardene. Sunderlingam
described Jayawardene, at that time, as a Sri Lankan
Security Council Advisor and businessman. He further added
that Jayawardene was a close friend of the late Sirimavo
Bandaranaike, who is the mother of current President
Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga. Sunderlingam said he
had seen several photos of Jayawardene and the late
Bandaranaike in Tahir's father's house in Singapore.

Sunderlingam also said that he had met Tahir, whom he
thought was involved in computers, in Dubai at some point.

Sunderlingam said his motivation in coming forward with this
unsolicited information was that he felt, given his personal
knowledge, the Sri Lankan Government must be hiding
something if they denied the existence of this Harry
Jayawardene.

END TEXT (POL/DCM)

TIGERS WARN RE FREE MOVEMENT OF VOTERS
--------------


2. (U) FYI. On February 25, in a report carried on the pro-
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) website "TamilNet",
Tiger political chief S.P. Thamilchelvam stated "The
consequences will be serious if the rights and wishes of our
people are denied," reportedly responding to reports that
the Sri Lanka Army will not allow free movement of voters
from LTTE-held areas in the upcoming April 2 parliamentary
election. We have not heard reports that the Army is
planning to curtail voter movement. In the 2001
parliamentary elections, however, the army did stop Tamil
voters from crossing army checkpoints, but the Supreme Court
later ruled that this violated the voters' fundamental
rights and fined GSL officials involved with the matter.
(POL)

ELECTION ASSISTANCE
--------------

3.(SBU) See our classified e-mail reply re our views on
appropriate USG electoral assistance. (DCM)

MALDIVES
--------------

4.(C) The Ambassador's trip to Maldives appears to be going
well. He was scheduled to call on President Gayoom and a
raft of other GoRM officials today. Atolls tour and
reception tomorrow. DATT is carrying over a few copies of
Maldives HRR for the Ambassador to hand out as he sees fit.
By chance, a representative of the fledgling opposition
Maldivian Democratic Party came in to see POL and DCM
yesterday. We had a good chat and he left some interesting
documents (and a copy of their party newsletter). We'll
fold all this into our reporting on the Ambassador's trip.
(DCM)

SCHLOSSER VISIT
--------------


5. (U) John should be touching down as we type. Andrea T
has put together a very good program and we'll show him a
good time. (DCM)

LUNSTEAD