COLOMBO: Sri Lankan Tamil Separatist rebel group the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eclam (LTTE) has officially confirmed that is one-time deputy leader Gopalasawamy Mahendrarajah alias Mahathaya has been sentenced 16 death for contacts with the Indian intelligence organization Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) reported last week.

 Quoting LTTEs official news bulletin in London Kalathil it said that Mahathaya is due to be executed anytime Kalathil has accused undermine the LTTE The LTTE bulletin in London said the main accusation against Mahathaya is that he was manipulated by RAW to get rid of LTTE supremo Velupilai Prabhakaran and to destabilise the military strength of the organization.

Mahathaya alleged involvement with the RAW was investigated for several months by LTTEs intelligence chief Pottu Amman who is accused of masterminding the assassinations of former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Sri Lankan Presi named Engineer who had lost a leg in the war against the Indian Peace Keeping Forces and was in the Indian custody to Jaffna to develop contacts with Mahathaya. It said the link was discovered by the LTTEs intelligence unit which led to Mahathayas arrest.

The LTTE has till  now not accepted officially that Mahathaya is under arrest saying that his responsibilities have been changed from military side to rehabilitation of injured cadres. However the LTTE leadership let it be known in Jaffna that Mahathaya

Article extracted from this publication >> January 21, 1994