By Colombo Telegraph –
“Since the early August arrest of LTTE leader and financer Kumaran Pathmanathan (KP), the Sri Lankan military has interrogated KP about the LTTE’s financing network and overseas assets. Secretary of Defense Rajapaksa (the President’s brother) publically claimed that KP’s interrogation has revealed $1 billion in overseas assets and he called for foreign assistance to recover these monies. The Sri Lankan Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) would be in charge of requesting assistance from foreign FIUs to uncover the terrorist financing network and recover overseas assets. However, the Sri Lankan FIU has not received any information yet from KP’s military interrogations, so they do not have any outstanding requests for USG assistance.” the US Embassy Colombo informed Washington.
KP
A Leaked “CONFIDENTIAL” US diplomatic cable, dated August 26, 2009, updated the Secretary of State regarding the LTTE’s financing network and overseas assets. The Colombo Telegraph found the related leaked cable from the WikiLeaks database. The cable was classified and signed by the US Embassy official Rebecca Cohn.
Rebecca Cohn wrote “Econ Cons met with FIU Deputy Director D.K. Wijesuriya and FIU Senior Assistant Director Sisira Ranasinghe (the new FIU director was out of the country), and they both assured him that the FIU is very satisfied with its cooperation with the United States, but they had no additional requests at this time. According to Wijesuriya, KP is being held under a military detention order and he is still being interrogated by the military intelligence officers. At some point KP will be transferred to the police (Wijesuriya did not know when) which is the point at which the FIU would receive KP’s information on the LTTE financing network and overseas assets. The FIU then may request assistance from their counterpart FIUs in other countries. Econ Cons reiterated that the USG would be pleased to provide assistance to track LTTE funds. Wijesuriya reported a strong working relationship with his U.S. Embassy coounterparts.”
“The delay in turning over KP’s information about the LTTE financing network is disappointing, since this information is time sensitive and the LTTE funds may have been moved subsequent to his arrest. The Sri Lankan FIU knows that the USG is fully committed to providing assistance in tracking down LTTE assets, and post will be proactive when called upon.” placing a comment Cohn further wrote.
Read the cable below for further details;
Related cables;
WikiLeaks: US On LTTE Fundraising Activities And Prabhakaran’s Monetary Board
WikiLeaks: GoSL Had No Evidence Against Charles Gnanakone
INFO LOG-00 EEB-00 AID-00 AMAD-00 CIAE-00 INL-00 DODE-00
DOTE-00 DS-00 DHSE-00 FAAE-00 FBIE-00 VCI-00 FRB-00
H-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 MOFM-00 MOF-00 VCIE-00
NSAE-00 NIMA-00 GIWI-00 SCT-00 DOHS-00 FMPC-00 SSO-00
SS-00 NCTC-00 ASDS-00 CBP-00 SCRS-00 DSCC-00 PRM-00
DRL-00 SAS-00 FA-00 SEEE-00 SANA-00 /000W
P 260919Z AUG 09
FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0436
INFO AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU PRIORITY
AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY
AMCONSUL CHENNAI PRIORITY
AMCONSUL KARACHI PRIORITY
AMCONSUL KOLKATA PRIORITY
AMCONSUL MUMBAI PRIORITY
DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC PRIORITY
DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 000837 E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/26/2019 TAGS: CE ECON EFIN PTER SUBJECT: SRI LANKAN FINANCIAL INTELLIGENCE UNIT NOT YET IN A POSITION TO REQUEST USG ASSISTANCE TO TRACK LTTE FUNDS Classified By: CDA: Rebecca Cohn ¶1. (C ) Since the early August arrest of LTTE leader and financer Kumaran Pathmanathan (KP), the Sri Lankan military has interrogated KP about the LTTE,s financing network and overseas assets. Secretary of Defense Rajapaksa (the President,s brother) publically claimed that KP,s interrogation has revealed $1 billion in overseas assets and he called for foreign assistance to recover these monies. The Sri Lankan Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) would be in charge of requesting assistance from foreign FIUs to uncover the terrorist financing network and recover overseas assets. However, the Sri Lankan FIU has not received any information yet from KP,s military interrogations, so they do not have any outstanding requests for USG assistance. ¶2. (C) Econ Cons met with FIU Deputy Director D.K. Wijesuriya and FIU Senior Assistant Director Sisira Ranasinghe (the new FIU director was out of the country), and they both assured him that the FIU is very satisfied with its cooperation with the United States, but they had no additional requests at this time. According to Wijesuriya, KP is being held under a military detention order and he is still being interrogated by the military intelligence officers. At some point KP will be transferred to the police (Wijesuriya did not know when) which is the point at which the FIU would receive KP,s information on the LTTE financing network and overseas assets. Tthe FIU then may request assistance from their counterpart FIUs in other countries. Econ Cons reiterated that the USG would be pleased to provide assistance to track LTTE funds. Wijesuriya reported a strong working relationship with his U.S. Embassy coounterparts. ¶3. (C ) Comment. The delay in turning over KP's information about the LTTE financing network is disappointing, since this information is time sensitive and the LTTE funds may have been moved subsequent to his arrest. The Sri Lankan FIU knows that the USG is fully committed to providing assistance in tracking down LTTE assets, and post will be proactive when called upon. End Comment. COHN
Wuliangguobinjiu / November 26, 2012
⚛You and your rumours have two ‡ things in common:
You’re Both Fake and you both get around in time of peace ☮ you follow
power ⁂ and the dollar $ wherever they may lead ☹☭☹
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Safa / November 26, 2012
What happened to USD One Bn is the big question.
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Donald J Gnanakone / November 26, 2012
What happened to the $1 Billion dollars?
Was it pocketed by the Rajapakses?
lol…
Now they have got hold of the Tiger’s tail for the past 3 odd years and keeping him in luxury at the Tax Payer’s costs…..
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Jamec Corea / November 27, 2012
They also keeping Wijeweera’s wife and daughters
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LOL / November 26, 2012
But this fellow KP told Indian reporters that, Prabaharan’s son called him during the final war and wanted to rescue his father and family by using a small aircraft. KP further said, he told Prabha that it will cost $32M. But he doesn’t have that mush money so couldn’t proceed with the plan. Now talking about $1B. KP is seems talking for survival of his luxury life…
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Punchinilame / November 26, 2012
As rumoured earlier, some of the funds were laundered by MOD henchmen
via Stock Exchange, but who dares trace the links except a future
Commission under a UNP Govt. and culprits revealed?
The Colombo S. Exchnage earned the dubious title of being the best in 2009 in Asia!
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suryagamage nilan / November 26, 2012
NO Modayas here!
The US did not get further info or update because it was seen then they would be accountable for the funds that were retrieved.
That is why the sudden silence after first going to the US authorities!!!
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Native Vedda / November 27, 2012
suryagamage nilan:
Please note Gen SF was supposed to have won the war against LTTE single handedly though this was disputed by MR clan and his supporters.
He was jailed on ‘trumped up charges’ whereas KP the LTTE mule (he carried heavy stuffs for LTTE)and the one time LTTE’s bag man who collected its dirty money all over the world is enjoying his semi retirement in secluded bungalow in Colombo protected by elite forces as a guest of the state.
This can only happen in Sri Lanka.
Oh man Tamils and Sinhalese are stupid to the core because they share the same gene.
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BunkerRat / November 27, 2012
Interesting! Time to get our hands on the loot. Thank you, Tamil Terrorist Diaspora. We will make sure that a part of the money will be used to Srilankanize the North.
In the meantime see weeping relatives of a deadly Tamil terrorist killed like a stray dog! danuka.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/20090519_b08.jpg?w=1000&h=
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Antany Peter / November 27, 2012
The immature teenage guys and girls who used the guns are in prison, but the person who supplied all of those guns are having great times with Mahinda and Gota. It is very obvious that KP got lots of money isn’t it?
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Antany Peter / November 27, 2012
The immature teenage guys and girls who used the guns are dead or in prison, but the person who supplied all of those guns is having great times with Mahinda and Gota. It is very obvious that KP got lots of money isn’t it?
The LTTE flags and posters surfacing in Jaffna, Vavuniya and Trincomalee. Seems like we are revisiting the 1970′s and 1980′s. Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat. Can history repeat itself? Yes history does repeat itself, sadly it already has.
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BunkerRat / November 27, 2012
Ada Anatomy….
Are you blaming these on the government as well? Buddy… Tamil Terrorist Diaspora has been around for donkey’s ages. They are not going away anywhere, anytime. From that great Dutugemunu to Colonial parasites to Dudley to Mahinda the TTD gave hell… and will continue to do so when the next president comes in. That is by default… and is no bigger problem than the state of Florida got to live with the seasonal hurricanes and absorb the damages. They come… they go. All what we need to do is to prepare ourselves. That preparedness is the one that’s missing in our case.
Unfortunately, our leaders never took bitter, tough decisions to encourage Sri Lankans everywhere to move in to the north and the east and utlilize and develop the areas adding to the GDP. Some unknown fear stopped them building new towns, highways, fishing harbors and industrial complexes. This negligence is the cause for all the trouble, because the TTD assumed that they can claim the land and create Elaamland here.
But they still don’t seem to realize that assumption is the mother of all F**k ups.
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Antany Peter / November 28, 2012
When I say history is repeating itself, I am not taking any side, both sides have not learned anything from the past. Decades have passed, thousands of innocent people have died and injured, billions of dollars wasted on purchasing weapons, but we have not learned anything yet. Still hatred is well and truly ruling both sides. I am glad I am not living in Sri Lanka, but the people who live there are the most unfortunate people.
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justice / November 28, 2012
How about the 21 ships owned by LTTE?
Photos of one ship appeared in the media and there were reports that the rest would be located soon.
But that was the end of the matter.
It was also reported that a large amount of gold and jewellery in the Tamil Eelam Bank run by the LTTE, and other buried hoards of gold, had all been seized by the army.
Not a word since, about these.
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / November 28, 2012
Opportunism , expediency and a lack of ethics in our political system throughout our post-independence history has led us to where we are as a nation today. These yet rule the roost in our national life. We as a nation talk a lot of religion and install religious symbols under every tree, every street, every junction and every hill! However, we practise very little of what these religions preach ! We will be successful as a nation only when we as a nation give up opportunism and pretence, and practice ethical standards in public life. Justice should be blind to personalities and even! Justice cannot be calculated and dispensed according to whims and fancies of those who wield power.
Our politicians and public servants are ultimately a reflection of who and what we are!
Dr.Rajasingham Narendran
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Senguttuvan / November 29, 2012
Every popular movement throughout history has had a Quisling or two within its ranks – who eventually get exposed. KP is no exception. History will identify him as what he really is.
Senguttuvan
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