“Pottu Amman” and the Intelligence Division of the LTTE

[Bond007]

By D.B.S. Jeyaraj

Shanmuganathan Sivashankar alias Pottu Ammaan a.k.a. Pottu, the intelligence division chief of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) was judicially confirmed dead last week when Colombo High Court Judge Kumudini Wickremasinghe allowed an amendment to the indictment filed in the trial regarding the murder of former Foreign affairs minister Lakshman Kadirgamar.

Submitting a report to court ,Deputy Solicitor-General Kapila Waidyaratne asked for an amendment seeking to exclude the names of LTTE supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran and his intelligence chief as chief accused in the indictment.It was stated that both had been killed in May this year in the Karaithuraipatru AGA division of Mullaitheevu district.

["Pottu Amman"]

Prabhakaran was killed on the banks of the Nandhikkadal lagoon on May 19th while Sivashankar alias “Pottu Amman” was killed on May 18th while trying to cross the Nandhikkadal lagoon by boat with a group of tiger cadres.

As such the DSG sought the exclusion of both names from the indictment and also requested that the fifth accused Muthiah Sahayadevan and sixth accused Arokiyarajah Arokianathan be made first and second accused respectively.

The defence lawyers did not object. So the judge duly allowed the amendment. Thus the drama surrounding Pottu Ammaan’s demise has “legally” reached a finale.

CONFIRMATION

Pottu Amman, senior military commander “Col” Letchumanan and a number of tiger cadres tried to cross the Nandhikkadal lagoon by boat in the early hours of Monday May 18th.They were fired upon by soldiers who had anticipated the doomed attempt.

Though LTTE communication intercepts by the army revealed that Pottu Amman was killed there was no clear identification of the tiger intelligence chief when recovered bodies were scrutinised.

This in turn had caused much speculation. There were three broad theories.One was that the body had been irretrievably disposed of by loyal cadres. Two that Pottu had escaped and was lying low. Three that he was captured by the army and was being detained in a secret location.

The judicial proceedings at the Colombo High Court have ended such speculation.

Outgoing Sri Lankan Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohona was asked by The Hindu, Colombo correspondent B. Muralidhar Reddy about the court proceedings.Replying Kohona stated:

“I have not seen the application moved before the Colombo High Court. In layman’s terms it means the government is seeking approval of the Court to remove the names of Prabakaran and Pottu Amman from the Kadirgamar murder case as both are dead and can no longer be prosecuted.

“As for the Indian request for a death certificate on the person of Prabakaran, it has not been given by our government as the legal process is still on. Once a court in Sri Lanka acknowledges death of Prabakaran and Pottu Amman, it is valid in any other court of law.”

Earlier several tiger cadres in custody had allegedly confirmed Pottu’s death to state intelligence officials interrogating them.

The confirmation of his death would no doubt bring relief to many as Pottu Amman was perhaps the most dreaded or despised LTTE leader after tiger supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran.

Sivashankar also called Pottu had been for more than two decades the pivotal head of its powerful intelligence division.

NAAYANMAARKATTU

Shanmuganathan Sivashankar has been with the LTTE for nearly thirty years having joined the movement in the early eighties of the previous century. When the LTTE launched its attack on soldiers in Thinnevely on July 23rd 1983 it had only twenty-three full-time members and seven part-time helpers. Pottu was one of the original thirty.

There was a time when Ariyalai was second only to Valvettithurai (VVT) in providing recruits to the LTTE. Senior leaders like Santhosham master, Kannaadi Prem and Bhanu etc were from Ariyalai.

There is a general impression that Pottu also hails from Ariyalai in Jaffna. This is incorrect. Pottu was from Nayanmaarkattu adjacent to Ariyalai. From childhood Sivashankar had moved with Ariyalai kids of his age and used to hang out more in Ariyalai than Naayanmaarkattu. This led to the misconception.

Sivashankar’s father Shanmuganathan was working as a clerk in an up – country town.The family was in Jaffna because of schooling for the children.It is said that Pottu’s father continued to reside in the “Udarata” till the late nineties. Since very little was known to the Sri Lankan authorities about Pottu the son was supremely confident that his father was in no danger.

Pottu studied at Maheswari Vidyalayam, Canageratnam MMV (Stanley College) and Jaffna Hindu College.Tall, handsome and smart,he was very popular with his friends.Apparently he did not excel in studies or sports but won a lot of essay competitions.

NOM DE GUERRE

Sivashankar was recruited to the LTTE by former LTTE Trincomalee district commander Santhosham and ex- Mullaitheevu district commander Ponnammaan. He assumed the nom de guerre Pottu which interestingly enough was a nickname used by friends.

The origin of that name Pottu is rather amusing. Pottu is the mark or thilak placed on one’s forehead. Usually Santhanam (sandal) or Vermillion (Kunkumam) is used for daubing a pottu in temples or on auspicious occasions.

The rise of the Tamil nationalist , Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK) also known as the Federal Party and in later times the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) in Tamil politics led to the dominance of concepts like struggle and sacrifice in Tamil political discourse. A militant manifestation of this tendency was the custom of placing “Irathappottu” or bloody thilaks.

Aroused by the hawkish sentiments of Tamil political leaders, highly emotional youths would mount platforms, prick or cut thir thumbs and place the oozing blood as “pottu” on the foreheads of the leaders pledging their blood and life for the Tamil cause.

Apparently young Sivashankar too had on one occasion climbed on to the stage in a frenzy , ripped his hand with a razor blade and placed bloody Pottus on the foreheads of Tamil leaders Appapillai Amirthalingam and Vetrivelu Yogeswaran.

Sivashankar’s emotional gesture was perceived hilariously by his friends. He was teased and called Pottu after that. The name struck and later when he joined the LTTE that was how his new comrades too addressed him.

As Pottu’s seniority increased the suffix “Ammaan” was added. Ammaan means maternal uncle in Jaffna Tamil usage. Seniors in the militant movement are addressed as “Annan” (elder brother)”Master” or “Ammaan”.

Later on when the LTTE began triggering off explosion after explosion in Colombo, some tiger leaders like it’s former political adviser Anton Balasingam referred to Pottu facetiously as “Vediyarasan†(explosion king).

VETHAARANYAM

The July 1983 anti-Tamil pogrom with its consequences was a watershed in Tamil politics. India played an active role by providing arms training for Tamil militants known as “boys” then. Sivashankar alias Pottu went to North India for arms training as part of the first LTTE batch.

After training Pottu functioned briefly as Prabhakaran’s bodyguard. It was during this period that Pottu became a fanatical follower of his leader.He served his leader with slavish devotion.Pottu’s personal loyalty to Prabhakaran was unswerving and unquestionable.

After a stint as the boss’s bodyguard Pottu was sent to be in charge (poruppu) of the “Karai” (shore) operations in Vethaaranyam on the Tamil Nadu coast. The LTTE had set up camps in this area. Pottu was in overall charge.

Coastal operations were of paramount importance in the eighties as the LTTE was heavily dependent on Tamil Nadu as a rear base.Arms, medicine and other vital supplies were sent to Northern Sri Lanka via sea from the Tamil Nadu coast. There was also a steady flow of cadres to and from Tamil Nadu by sea.

Pottu discharged his duties efficiently but ruthlessly.One of his lesser known responsibilities at Vethaaranyam was the liquidation of cadres who fell foul of the leadership or were suspected of being traitors and double agents.

They were clandestinely killed, stomachs slashed and bodies dumped in the sea.Family and friends in Sri Lanka would think the persons concerned were in India while those in India would think they were in Sri Lanka. But the poor victims would be in Davy Jones’s locker.

LTTE old timers remember a particular incident illustrative of Pottu Ammaan’s monstrous cruelty. A cadre from Nelliaddy called “Chandran” was suspected of being a traitor.About to be executed ,Chandran managed to run away after injuring a few cadres.

Pottu was furious. The escapee was caught and brought to Pottu who trussed him up in a sack tied to a rope on a tree. The sack was dashed again and again by Pottu himself on the tree trunk.He then battered the sack with an iron rod. Chandran was reduced to pulp.

MAHAALINGAPURAM

But Pottu’s stay in Vedaranyam had its pitfalls too. A calamity that befell Pottu in Vethaaaranyam had its repercussions in Madras now Chennai.

The year was 1985, when several Sri Lankan Tamil militant groups were active in Tamil Nadu. One afternoon, the residential area of Mahalingapuram in Chennai was rocked by gunfire. The venue was the Tamil Information Centre (TIC) and the events there reminded one of scenes from “B” grade Hollywood thrillers.

One man was bundling another, with a bleeding foot, into a vehicle, holding a gun to him while firing shots into the air from another gun to keep at bay the armed bodyguards of the latter. The man performing the act was Sornalingam alias Shankar of the LTTE.

.

The incident at Mahalingapuram was a sequel to the abduction of Pottu Amman by the rival People’s Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE). Pottu Amman, in charge of the LTTE coastal camp in Vethaaranyam was taken captive following an argument with PLOTE operatives.

A furious LTTE chief Velupillai Prabakaran assigned to his deputies Shankar and Aruna, the task of freeing Pottu Amman. A round of talks between PLOTE military commander Jotheeswaran alias Kannan and Shankar took place in the residence of a Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) Member of Parliament considered to be close to the PLOTE leadership. The talks however failed .

Shankar then revised his strategy and telephoned Dr. Sivanathan of the TIC at Mahalingapuram and asked him to arrange a meeting with the PLOTE’s Kannan. Kannan arrived with his retinue of bodyguards and engaged in discussions with Shankar. At one point Shankar whisked out his gun, fired on Kannan’s foot and quickly placed his gun against Kannan’s head.

Shankar pulled out Kannan’s firearm and began firing into the air, while prodding Kannan with his own gun towards a waiting vehicle. The PLOTE bodyguards could do nothing as their leader was taken captive. Later, the LTTE exchanged Kannan for Pottu Amman.

The extraordinary lengths to which the LTTE went to free Pottu Ammaan illustrated the regard with which he was held by the tiger supremo Prabhakaran.

Shankar who later pioneered the LTTE Air wing was killed by the Army[s Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol (LRRP) on the Oddusuddan-Puthukkudiyiruppu road on September 26th 2001.

Kannan who along with PLOTE leader Umamaheswaran alias Muhunthan engaged in a shoot-out with LTTE leader Prabhakaran alias Karikalan and Sivakumar alias Raghavan at Pondy bazaar, Chennai in 1982 met with an equally tragic end later.

Kannan along with a group of PLOTE members including Vasudeva and Subash were lured for "talks" to Pulipaainthakal near Kiran by the erstwhile eastern tiger commander Karuna in 1987 during the ceasefire period after the Indo-Lanka accord. It was a trap and they were massacred by Karuna and his cohorts.

THAMBIMUTHU

Prabhakaran returned to Jaffna in January 1987 . Pottu too went back to Sri Lanka. At one stage he was appointed as associate leader of Batticaloa district along with Kumarappa and sent to the east.

During this time Pottu had an altercation with Batticaloa lawyer and TULF stalwart Sam Thambimuthu at the latter's residence. Sam's wife was the gutty, irrepressible Kala. She was the daughter of former FP senator Manickam and was a formidable political figure in her own right.

When Pottu brandished a revolver at Sam, the wife Kala Thambimuthu sprang at him with a broomstick and knocked it down. She then began raining blows on Pottu.

Shaken and surprised Pottu beat a hasty retreat. Security was intensified for the Thambimuthus as the LTTE began gunning for the Thambimuthus. Subsequently Pottu himself was recalled to Jaffna and the danger momentarily passed.

Later Sam Thambimuthu contested Batticaloa in the 1989 polls with EPRLF support and became an MP. The LTTE was hostile to him and abducted Kala Thambimuthu.But intense Indian pressure resulted in her being released unharmed.

In 1990 the Thambimuthus were shot dead in cold blood as they arrived at the Canadian High Commission in Colombo to obtain a visa. By this time Pottu Ammaan was LTTE intelligence chief. It son became clear that Pottu Ammaan never forgave the Thambimuthus.

AMMAANS

The 1987 period was the time when an eastern son of the soil, Vinayagamoorthy Muraleetharan alias Karuna Ammaan was staking his claim to be eastern regional commander. The ambitious Karuna clashed frequently with Pottu during his tenure at B'caloa.

This continuing battle of the two "Ammaans"-Pottu and Karuna-was a crucial factor in the LTTE split of 2004. Later Karuna was to blame Pottu, Thamilendhi the finance division head and Nadesan the police chief for causing his estrangement with Prabhakaran.

But Svashankar's stay in the land of the singing fish resulted in a transformation of his civil status.Manmathan or cupid struck bulls eye with his arrows. Pottu was smitten by a maiden from Mattakkalappu. They got married. Years later after Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated the Marriage registrar who legalised Pottu's union was flown quietly to India where a statement was recorded by Indian sleuths.

When war erupted with the Indian army in October 1987 Pottu was sent to Tamil Nadu again to oversee the smooth flow of supplies from the state. He moved from place to place utilising Indian fishermen to help transport goods often posing as a smuggler dealing in contraband.

On one occasion Pottu along with some Indian fishermen was arrested on charges of smuggling. Fortunately for Pottu the officials thought he was an ordinary smuggler and not a tiger operative. After languishing in jail for a while Pottu bribed his way out to freedom.

He then returned to Jaffna and engaged in guerrilla operations against the Indian army.Pottu sustained injuries in his stomach in a skirmish and recuperated in the Wanni where Prabhakaran himself had relocated to.

INTELLIGENCE

After recovery Pottu was entrusted in mid -1988 with the responsibility of administering the LTTE's intelligence wing. He remained in charge for 21 years until his death on May 18th.

The LTTE's intelligence wing was a mere fledgling when Pottu took over. It was Pottu Amman who developed it to unbelievable levels.He was aided greatly by Bosco alias Potko who at one time was a student in a Catholic seminary.

Some of Pottu's old acquaintances were flabbergasted at Pottu's metamorphosis as Beria to Prabhakaran's Stalin. One of his classmates now in Canada told me once that Sivashankar was a "mokkan" (idiot) in studies.

He was amazed at Pottu's growth in later life and observed "I just don't know how he is running the intelligence division so well nowadays". But then academic brilliance is not a pre-requisite to run an intelligence outfit.

What is required is lateral thinking, practical approaches, devious cunning, organizational skills, shrewd judgement of men and matters and above all perpetual paranoia about everything.

An indicator of Pottu's ability and talent was his acknowledged expertise in playing cards. Since the puritan Prabhakaran frowned upon card games, LTTE leaders would play discreetly.

Pottu was apparently a marvel at "Three Naught Four" and was able to gauge which cards were being held by his adversaries. He had the uncanny ability to both bluff as well as call the bluff of his opponents. This was a trait which stood him in good stead as intelligence chief.

Pottu however was autocratic in running the intelligence wing. An incident related by a veteran government official is rather revealing. This gentleman had to shuttle between Colombo and Jaffna on account of his duties. His son had joined the LTTE and was working with explosives.

Pottu Ammaan enlisted the officer to carry things from Jaffna to Colombo and vice versa. One day Pottu summoned him and showed him two boys. He was ordered to take them to Colombo and arrange for their stay. The official who had been for long a schoolmaster took a look and expressed misgivings about one.

"I am telling you from experience Ammaan. Not this fellow. He will be caught" the official demurred. But an adamant Pottu snapped back. "old man you take both or I will put you in the bunker prison". The official had no choice other than to take both to Colombo. As he feared one of the boys was caught by the Police. As a result the official himself was arrested and detained for several years until his release after the 2002 ceasefire.

Another Tamil journalist living in Colombo had a similar experience with Pottu Ammaan. The journalist was in contact with the LTTE and had met some leaders including Pottu. Thereafter Pottu used to telephone him and chat. The journalist was thrilled. But one day two tigers turned up at his residence saying Pottu had sent them. He was asked to accommodate them. The journalist living in a Sinhala neighbourhood refused and turned them away. Pottu was angry and threatened him. Fearing the worst the journalist left the country with his family.

VASANTHAN

The evolution and growth of the intelligence division has been quite remarkable.Being a guerrilla organization the LTTE lacked resources in signals, electronic, imagery or technical intelligence. But these were compensated for greatly by excessive reliance on HUMINT or Human intelligence.

The LTTE Intelligence wing was formed in December 1983. It was called the Tiger Organization Security Intelligence Service or TOSIS. It's first head was a family member of a well –known smuggler in Valvettithurai.This person now living in a western country bore the nom de guerre Vasanthan.He left the LTTE after the 1987 accord.

The first head of TOSIS also had a pilot's license. Vasanthan and Shankar had obtained flying lessons in Chennai. The TOSIS mainly functioned from Chennai during those days. It's role was minimal and somewhat nominal.

The Indian intelligence agency RAW (Research and analysis wing) held some

elementary training sessions for TOSIS. One of the early "intelligence" tasks was the monitoring of maritime movement in Trincomalee harbour.

The LTTE also ran a military office (MO)in Chennai headed by Thalayasingham Sivakumar alias Anton Master. The MO was more or less a prototype of a military intelligence unit.

Meanwhile the former LTTE Jaffna commander "Col" Kittu set up his own local

intelligence outfit. It was headed by "Ideas" Vasu who also was from VVT. Vasu along with Ponnammaan and Curdles was killed in the Kaithady bowser explosion of February 14th, 1987.

After Prabhakaran returned to Jaffna in 1987 he formed another intelligence unit called BETA-2. This was supervised by the former LTTE deputy-leader Gopalaswamy Mahendrarajah alias Mahathaya.

T.O.S.I.S

The TOSIS was re-located to the northern mainland known as Wanni in 1987. The BETA-2 and all other regional intelligence outfits were merged with it. The TOSIS underwent a renaissance after Pottu took over in 1988. He was ably assisted by Bosco alias Potko who at one time was studying to be a Catholic priest.

The LTTE gained much territorial control after the Indian army departed in March 1990. Using Jaffna as the base, Pottu began expanding, streamlining and developing the intelligence division. While Potko attended to administrative functions Shanmuganathan Ravichandran alias Charles was in charge of external operations.

Charles who adopted the name Arulventhan later was a direct recruit of Pottu

Ammaan. He was introduced to Pottu by the latter’s bodyguard Kili during the Indian army period. External operations was an euphemism for attacks outside the North – East particularly Colombo.

Charles was sent to Colombo during the "peace talks" period with President

Premadasa. He diligently set up a clandestine tiger network. After war resumed this outfit got into action. Among the early operations was the car bomb assassination of deputy defence minister Ranjan Wijeratne and vehicle bombing of JOC headquarters in Colombo.

The intelligence division was in the meantime being re-vamped. The LTTE made a systematic study of the chief intelligence agencies of the world. According to ex-LTTE members who had been intelligence operatives, the training manuals of Pakistan's Intelligence agency the Inter State Services (ISI)were obtained and utilised for training intelligence wing cadres. The LTTE also copied many methods and stratagems of Israel's Shin Bet and Mossad , say former LTTE members.

One attribute gleaned from the Israeli's was to utilise Thamizh as the language of operation for intelligence purposes just as Israel used Hebrew. Though known as TOSIS once the LTTE’ intelligence division became totally Tamilized as it progressed. Special branches were begun within the intelligence division.

One such unit was called the "viseda Vevu pirivu" or special reconnaissance unit. This was headed by Sashikumar or Sashi master who was decorated by Prabhakaran personally for the successful operation of August 8th 1992.

This was the explosion at Aralithurai where a vehicle was blown up killing several top security officials including Denzil Kobbekaduwe and Vijaya Wimalaratne.

DEMARCATED

In 1993 .the intelligence division was demarcated into the "Thesiya Pulanaaivu pirivu" (.National intelligence division) and "Iraanuva pulanaaivu sevai" (Military intelligence service). Pottu was in overall charge of the entire division in general and nationnal intelligence service in particular.

Sashi master was placed in charge of military intelligence. He held this post till 2004 when Prabhakaran appointed Charles in his place. Sashi was placed in charge of special operations and training.

After Charles was killed by the Army in January 2008 in Mannar, Sashi master was re-appointed in charge of military intelligence. Sashikumar and "Col" Sornam fought to the end in Mullivaaikkaal and died on May 15th.

The National intelligence division had five known departments.The intelligence gathering section known as “Thagaval segarikkum pirivu†was headed by Kapil Amman who was also the deputy chief of intelligence; The research and publications dept known as “Aaivu matrum veliyeetu pirivu†was headed by Maathavan master.

The special operations dept known as "viseda seyatpaadu pirivu" was under Janan master. The infamous "Karumpuligal" (Black tigers) suicide unit was also under this section.The "payitchi matrum Tholil nutpa [pirivu]“(Training and technology dept) was under Aathavan master. The administrative dept known as “Nirvaakappirivu” was under Shankar.

The military intelligence service headed by Sashikumar alias Sashi master had five known departments. The “viseda Vevu” or special reconnaissance dept was headed by Charles aka Arulventhan and later Irathinam Amman. The administrative dept known as “Nirvaagapirivu” was also supervised by Sashi master.

There were also three “Iraanuva thagaval segarippu pirivugal” (military intelligence gathering units) for the Army, Navy and Air Force. These units had to gather information about all army, navy and airforce installations, movement of personnel etc. These were headed by Gauthaman.

Intelligence division cadres were carefully screened with background checks before recruitment. New recruits underwent intensive training that lasted at times for nearly a year. Trainees were kept in isolation and had to wear masks for group sessions so that their faces were not seen by each other.

Training was varied. The black tiger suicide squad members were given specialised training that included how to walk in crowded streets without knocking on people while wearing an explosive laden suicide jacket or belt. Sinhala language lessons with proper emphasis on the “accent” was also imparted to those carrying Identity cards with Sinhala names.

A typical LTTE cell located outside the North-East had four to six members. They were called “Velikkala muhavarhal” or field agents. One did not know the other and each was assigned separate duties. Each cell was handled or coordinated by a “pirathhana muhavar” or Principal agent. At times the principal agent interacted directly with the field agents. At times an intermediary called “Idainilaiyaalar” was used.

An elaborate network of safe houses, storage facilities, dead letter boxes etc was set up by the LTTE intelligence. Earlier the tigers utilised Tamils of North-Eastern origin for setting up the supportive network. Later they focused on Indian Tamils.Graually the tigers began enlisting Muslims and Sinhalese using enhanced financial remuneration as an incentive. The ceasefire period from 2002 February was a windfall. An intricate network was stablished.

A noteworthy feature of this phenomenon was the infiltration of Police and armed forces. Initially a media personality was used to cultivate potential double agent recruits in the Police and armed forces. Huge sums of money and in some instances expensive property were given as incentives. Most of these officers were Sinhala or Muslim. Some of these personnel have been identified and apprehended. But this can very well be the tip of the iceberg only.

PARANOID

Initially most intelligence dept heads reported to Prabhakaran as well as Pottu Ammaan. Gradually Pottu Amman became the intermediary through whom everything was reported to the LTTE chief.

There came a time when Prabhakaran was virtually inaccessible to senior leaders. Only Pottu Ammaan could see the supremo at any given time. Also Pottu Ammaan was the only tiger leader who could meet with Prabhakaran while carrying arms. All others had to hand over their armd before being granted a rare audience.

This state of affairs was caused by a massive threat perception. The Indian espionage agency RAW as well as the deep penetration squads of the Army were greatly feared. The fear of the “enemy within” made a paranoid Prabhakaran become increasingly alienated from tiger leaders and cadres. Pottu Ammaan became all powerful and at one point was “controlling” the day to day activities of the leader.

The suspected RAW operation of staging a jailbreak at Vellore prison in Tamil Nadu and sending the “escapee” Kirupan to assassinate Prabhakaran was one attempt allegedly foiled by Pottu and Kapil Ammaan.

Kirupan masterminded the massacre of thirteen members of the Eelam Peoples Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF) including its secretary-general Padmanabha, Parliamentarian Yogasangary and North-Eastern provincial minister Kirubaharan.This happened on June 19th 1990.Kiruban was arrested at a security roadblock and held at Vellore jail.

Kiruban and a few other tigers allegedly dug a secret tunnel and escaped from Vellore. They shot dead two Policemen when fleeing to the Rameshwaram coast. But Kiruban’s “escape” was viewed suspiciously by Pottu and his deputy Kapil Amman.

It was suspected that RAW had “turned” or converted Kiruban into a double agent and enacted a staged escape to hoodwink the LTTE leadership. Kiruban had been sent by RAW to assassinate Prabhakaran was the conspiracy theory of Pottu and Kapil. So Kiruban was tortured and executed after he was made to confess.

There is however a school of thought that believes Kiruban was innocent and was not an agent of the RAW. He had displayed much innovative acumen by undertaking such a daring escape to reach home only to be executed as a suspected RAW agent. It was felt that Pottu had acted over zealously or with an ulterior motive in handling Kiruban.

The other important counter-intelligence success by Pottu Ammaan was the crushing of the so-called Mahathaya “coup d’etat”. Again the RAW was blamed for “poisoning” Mahathaya’s mind and for “turning” a tiger cadre “Engineer†into a double agent.

Pottu first arrested Engineer who returned from India after obtaining a Jaipur foot artificial limb. His leg had been blown away earlier in a landmine explosion. Thereafter it was alleged that the tiger deputy leader was conspiring with the RAW to stage an internal coup and oust Prabhakaran. It was alleged that Mahathaya was planning to execute Prabhakaran,Pottu Ammaan and ten other senior tiger leaders and seize the LTTE leadership.

Mahathaya was arrested and tortured by Pottu Ammaan and a “confession” extracted before his execution. The videoed “confession” was screened to all cadres in order to justify the execution of the deputy-leader.

Thousands of cadres and leaders were detained and interrogated for suspected complicity. These included senior leaders like Jeyam, Yogi and Thamilselvan’s elder brother Paramu Balasubramaniam alias Moorthy. All three were re-instated later.

Many of the interrogated senior tigers were Pottu’s friends and colleagues. Embarassed to supervise the interrogation personally, Pottu delegated the task to some juniors. They inflicted much physical harm and torture. The former political commissar Yogi’s hearing was affected as a result of the torture. Jeyam then the Vavuniya district commander had his nails removed.

Hundreds of others suspected of being Mahathaya loyalists were tortured and killed. These included the 40 member contingent functioning as Mahathaya’s bodyguards.

One of the senior leaders killed was former Kilinochchi district commander Rasanayagam Gowrikannan alias Susheelan. He was arrested months after Mahathaya’s arrest.The circumstances of Susheelan’s arrest and execution shed much light on the mindset of Pottu Ammaan.

Susheelan had got married barely a month before his arrest. Three siblings of his wife’s siblings were LTTE cadres. The chief guest at Susheelan’s wedding was none other than Pottu Amman himself. He participated joyfully cracking many jokes at the bridegroom’s expense. He took his leave after wishing the new couple many years of wedded bliss.

Barely one month later Pottu’s henchmen arrested Susheelan.He was interrogated and tortured. The Rasanayagam family in Nelliaddy had been supportive of the LTTE and had a cordial relationship with many senior tigers including Pottu Ammaan. They made pathetic entreaties to Pottu Ammaan but nothing could move the intelligence chief.

Susheelan’s mother whose favourite child was her youngest son was heartbroken. She died soon after her son was detained by the LTTE. Despite many appeals Pottu Ammaan refused to let Susheelan attend his mother’s funeral. Susheelan himself died in captivity later.

A close friend was to ask Pottu later as to why he encouraged Susheelan’s marriage and attended the wedding ceremony weeks before his arrest. Pottu’s reply was characteristic. “If I tried to block his marriage or declined his wedding invitation, Susheelan would have got suspicious and fled from Jaffna. I attended the wedding to lull him into a false sense of security”.

Despite claims of an intelligence triumph by Pottu Ammaan over the Mahathaya affaior there are many who doubt whether the ex-deputy leader was indeed guilty. It is said that Prabhakaran was resentful of Mahathaya’s popularity after the formation of the LTTE’s political front the Peoples Front of Liberation Tigers (PFLT). The proponents of this theory feel that Pottu was acting at the behest of Prabhakaran to “frame” Mahathaya on a conspiracy charge just like how Soviet intelligence chief Beria functioned as the running dog of Stalin.

Another instance where Pottu Amman scored and increased his clout with Prabhakaran further was the Karuna Ammaan revolt. Pottu apparently was warning Prabhakaran that Karuna was treacherous and urging pre-emptive action. But Prabhakaran who had a soft corner for Karuna would not listen and restrained Pottu from acting. Karuna himself was not too worried about Praba but was very fearful that Pottu could fix him.

Matters came to a head when Karuna defied an order from Prabhakaran summoning him to the Wanni and revolted openly. This reinforced Pottu’s position that Karuna was conspiring and was not to be trusted. As events unfolded and Karuna chartered his own course by collaborating with the stare, Pottu’s stance was vindicated in the eyes of Prabhakaran. Regretting his earlier refusal to act against Karuna as urged by Pottu the LTTE leader began relying excessively on Pottu thereafter.

As Pottu’s power expanded he began overreaching himself by expanding an overseas network also. LTTE intelligence cadres were sent to many countries. These cadres have great influence over Diaspora LTTE structures. It may be recalled that the overseas intelligence spokesperson Kathirgamathamby Arivazhaghan issued two statements concerning the demise of tiger supremo Prabhakaran. Intelligence operatives of the LTTE played a crucial role in supporting Selvarasa Pathmanathan alias KP as the new leader of a re-structured LTTE and also in bringing about a settlement between Nediyavan and KP.

FAILED

Despite these proclaimed successes Pottu Ammaan and his intelligence division failed to forewarn the tiger hierarchy of the consequences of its myopic policies.

Cocooned in luxurious security, Prabhakaran failed to comprehend a changed world and consequential circumstances. Well-meaning advice was spurned. Even Balasingham’s warnings went unheeded.

As Colombo’s military juggernaut rolled on relentlessly the LTTE got boxed into a narrow littoral in Mullaitheevu. Pottu Ammaan remained faithful to Prabhakaran till the very end but there was much dissension within tiger ranks.

Pottu was blamed by senior leaders for failing to “inform” Prabhakaran properly. A revolt within the intelligence wing saw Pottu executing scores of operatives. Several dozens fled to India.

In the latter stages an embattled Prabhakaran relied on Pottu alone to communicate with his deputies. After “Col” Theepan’s death, Prabhakaran placed Pottu in overall military charge and appointed his eldest son Charles Anthony as second in command. This in turn increased bitterness within the LTTE.

The end was inevitable. The last ditch attempt to break through the military cordon and reach safety in the jungles failed miserably. Both Prabhakaran and Pottu Ammaan were killed. The last nail to the coffin was hammered in at the Colombo high court last week as both were legally proclaimed as being dead.

http://www.orunews.com/?p=6400

[kathirs]

I don't know what to believe right now...but one thing is sure, we should have questioned Tigers on some of decision made on behalf of us.

[cawthaman]

onnume puriele

[கரும்பு]

கதையை முழுமையாக வாசிச்சு பார்த்தன். என்ன சொல்வதென்று தெரியவில்லை. ஆனாலும்.. சொல்லப்பட்டது எல்லாம் புளுகு என்றும் சொல்வதற்கு இல்லை. உண்மை பொய்களுக்கு அப்பால்.. பல அடிப்படை விடயங்கள் பற்றி சிந்தித்து பார்க்கவேண்டி இருக்கிது...

[nunavilan]

டிபிஎஸ்சுக்கு தண்ணிக்கு காசில்லாத போது ஏதாவது கட்டுரையை எழுதுவார். கனடாவில் டி.பி.எஸ் ஐ தெரிந்தவர்களுக்கு தெரியும். என்ன "ஆண் பிள்ளை தப்பினால் பெண் பிள்ளை பிறக்கும்" என்று சொல்கிறார்.