SRI LANKA: CAPTURE OF SELVARAJAH PATHMANATHAN, AKA

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 000779

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INSB

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/06/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL PREF PHUM PTER MOPS CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: CAPTURE OF SELVARAJAH PATHMANATHAN, AKA
KP

Classified By: CHARGE D'AFFAIRES JAMES R. MOORE. REASONS: 1.4 (B, D)


1. (C) Summary: Reports indicate that top LTTE official
Selvarajah Pathmanathan, also known as KP, has been
apprehended and is now in the custody of Sri Lankan security
officials. Embassy sources were tight-lipped today, with no
military intelligence officials willing to comment on the
details of his apprehension and current whereabouts, although
it appears that he is being held in or near Colombo. Media
and government sources have given conflicting accounts of
where he was apprehended, with some saying in Thailand and
others saying in Malaysia. Thai officials reportedly have
denied any involvement, and said he was not arrested there.
Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohona told Charge that he had no
details on the arrest other than that he was now likely in
Colombo. Kohona added, "KP's arrest should close the chapter
on the LTTE." Late this afternoon, military spokesman
Brigadier General Nanayakkara held a press conference about
the arrest and then spoke with Charge. He confirmed that KP
was being held in Colombo and undergoing interrogation. He
said legal action would be taken against KP, but formal
charges had not yet been filed. Nanayakkara confirmed that
KP was apprehended on August 5th, but would not say whether
it was in Malaysia or Thailand. He said KP holds a Sri
Lankan passport among others. End Summary.


2. (SBU) One version of the arrest story claimed KP was
apprehended in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. A news report by
journalist D.B.S. Jeyaraj claimed two UK citizens had been
meeting with KP at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur when he received a
call on his cell phone. He excused himself, left the room
and did not return. This report goes on to say that once he
was picked up in Malaysia, he was then brought to Bangkok due
to the lack of an extradition treaty between Malaysia and Sri
Lanka. Unverified reports suggested that the Government of
Sri Lanka was tipped off about KP's location by other LTTE
members unhappy with the non-violent approach that he had
been advocating the LTTE now adopt.


3. (C) Comment: As previewed by Foreign Secretary Kohona's
comment, this will likely be cast as a major success by the
government. KP was seen as the last top LTTE leader still
at-large since the end of the war, and the government will
likely feel they have tied up the last loose end with this
capture. KP had a much higher level of international
notoriety than the few other remaining LTTE leaders, and had
worked to cast himself as the successor to Prabhakaran upon
his death in May. He was allegedly in control of a
significant portion of the LTTE's fundraising network, and
its arms procurement abilities during the war. In his public
statements since then, KP had argued that now was the time to
transform the LTTE into a political organization that fights
for Tamil rights through peaceful means. Although it is too
early to tell the impact of this capture on remaining LTTE
organization, it has to be considered a major blow to efforts
to re-establish the LTTE as any sort of cohesive force,
political or otherwise. End Comment.
MOORE