Vinayagam The Deadly Agent Of The Defeated LTTE

By Camelia Nathaniel

Vinayagam is the mastermind behind the Central Bank bomb blast. When Sri Lanka dismantled the LTTE killing machine in May 2009, the bulk of the LTTE leaders and members that experienced the suffering of conflict regretted and repented. In rehabilitation, when they interacted with other communities for the first time, they realized there was no real difference between the Sinhalese, Muslims and Tamils. The LTTE cadres admitted they had been indoctrinated to hate the Sinhalese, Muslims and even the Indians. Nonetheless, a handful of LTTE terrorist leaders who evaded the security measures and fled the country harboured the prejudices and suspicions against the State and the other communities. Although they personally experienced the futility of war, to survive they linked up with the existing LTTE international networks that had supported the fight. As they had skills only in crime and terrorism, rather than lead mainstream lives, they started to reorganize the LTTE.

Born on 10 November 1964 in Varani, Jaffna, Sekarapillai/Segarapaillai Vinayagamoorthy, a.k.a. Vinayagam/Vinayakam, a.k.a. Kathirgamathamby Arivazhagan/Kathirgamathamby Arivalagan (alias): is the third in a family of five. He joined the LTTE in 1985 and received basic military training in the Vadmarachchi area. After completion of his military training he had been an active member of the Jaffna District military assault group. He had participated in a number of small-scale armed attacks on the security force patrols and convoy during the period 1985 – 1990. At the outset of the Eelam War – 11 in 1990, Vinayagam was transferred to the ‘PO’ department, (that is the code name of the Tamil Eelam Intelligence Unit) and became a forefront agent handler in intelligence and subsequently was elevated to the appointment of principal agents handler. He had set up an intelligence cell in the North of Palampiddy which was solely responsible for the gathering of information in Mannar, Colombo and Puttlam Districts.

Planer of major attacks in Colombo

Being considered a professional in jungle warfare tactics, he was entrusted a number of missions to accompany the Black Tigers to Colombo via Kunjikulam, Marichchikaddi, Puttlam and to Colombo. It is also reported that the explosives that were used to explode the Central Bank in 1998 was transported by Vinayagam. Furthermore, he had been honoured by the organization for making logistics, funds and cadres arrangement for the major attacks in Colombo, such as the Central Bank and Katunayaka Airport attacks.
He was elevated as the Internal Intelligence Leader in 2005 with the commencement of the Eelam War –IV in 2006. He was reported to have moved to Arippu in order to accelerate the Colombo intelligence operations. However due to continuous security forces operations in the south of Mannar in 2007, he was compelled to abandon the task.

A small element under Vinayagam had moved to the jungles of Vilpaththu in early April/May 2009 to pave the way for safe passage of the LTTE leaders. This team was believed to have been roaming this area even after the defeat of the LTTE on 18 May 2009 and finally escaped to South India and from there they had moved to their current destination, France. He has made unsuccessful attempt to appear as the so called Sea Tiger political leader but his real identity was later revealed. This hardcore LTTE intelligence leader has sought political asylum in France and lives freely, in spite of having been issued with red notice by Interpol.

The LTTE engaged not only in illicit arms and human smuggling but also drug trafficking. Vinayagam heads LTTE’s Headquarters Group, which is a covert network for illicit drug trafficking, weapons procurement and shipping operations. Under the leadership of Vinayagam, it has merged with the LTTE’s overseas intelligence group, the Tiger Organization Security Intelligence Service (TOSIS).

Arms and drug smuggler

Unlike the other LTTE leaders operating overseas, both Nediyavan and Vinayagam were directly involved in criminal activity, including bank, credit card and cheque fraud. However, unlike Nediyavan who engaged in arms smuggling, Vinayagam was involved in both arms and drug smuggling. Under the LTTE’s intelligence wing, a unit under Vinayagam, was involved heavily in drug business. Operating directly under Pottu Amman, he built a state-of-the-art drug trafficking network from India and Sri Lanka. Heroin from the Indian coastline was moved by boat to Mannar and then on road to Colombo. The LTTE leader Vellupillai Prabhakaran was very concerned and made sure that drugs did not move to the north and east and reach LTTE cadres.

Therefore those who transported the drugs from Mannar to Colombo were Sinhalese businessmen and women. At one point the LTTE drug consignment was detected but the police did not know that the LTTE was behind it. The drug trafficking network of Vinayagam was clandestine; so much so that it was known by other leaders of the LTTE. Vinayagam’s activities came to light after his counterpart in India, Siranjeewi Master of the LTTE’s intelligence was arrested by the Indian authorities. Another key leader in the drug trafficking network that cooperated and disclosed information on Vinayagam’s activities is Ahaththiyan. Another associate of Vinayagam, Theepan from Mallawi engaged in the drug trafficking network, and has travelled to Canada onboard an LTTE ship.

Vinayagam had joined the LTTE formally in 1985 at the age of 20, but he had been an LTTE “helper” since his secondary school years. He is reported to have obtained local military training in the Soranpatru-Maasaar areas and Puloppalai-Kilaaly areas in the Southern and South-western areas of the Jaffna peninsula. He was initially stationed in the Thenmaratchy sector of the LTTE then referred to as “Los Angeles” within the LTTE. Thileepan, a.k.a. “Curdles” was in charge of Thenmaratchy. The Vadamaratchy sector under Soosai was called “California” while the Valigaamam sector under Johnny was known as “Chicago”. Sathasivampillai Krishnakumar, was in overall charge of the LTTE in the Jaffna District at the time. Curdles under whom Vinayagam initially functioned was later killed in the Kaithady bowser explosion of 14 February, 1987.

Then Thenmaratchy was placed under the joint command of Kunjan and Packiyaraj. After some time, a new head Naren was appointed. Later Naren was replaced by Abdullah during the ceasefire period after the Indo-Lanka Accord of 29 July, 1987. The short interlude of peace by the arrest and subsequent suicide of 12 LTTE cadres including senior leaders Kumarappa and Pulendiran as well as Abdulla – the newly appointed Thenmaratchy commander – war erupted between the Indian Army and LTTE after this incident. Former LTTE political Commissar Suppiah Paramu Thamilselvan who was then known as Dinesh was appointed head of Thenmaratchy. Pappa from Manthuvil (also from Thenmaratchy region) was appointed his deputy.

Nom de guerre

Vinayagam continued to be attached to the LTTE Thenmaratchy sector during all the changes from Curdles to Thamilselvan. He reportedly worked directly under Pappa and was stationed in the Amban –Kudathanai-Varany area. After the Indian Army left Sri Lanka in 1990 the LTTE acquired control of the greater part of the Northern Province including the Jaffna peninsula. Then the LTTE organization was revamped and restructured. The new changes saw Vinayagam being absorbed into the LTTE intelligence wing known as Tiger Organization Security Intelligence Service (TOSIS) headed by Pottu Amman. He was promoted to Second Lieutenant and given a new nom de guerre “Iyanna.” Vinayagam, a.k.a. “Iyanna” worked directly under Pottu Amman from 1990 – 93. It is said that he endeared himself to Pottu Amman through slavish devotion. A former LTTE member now living in the West referred to Vinayagam’s obsequiousness by saying that “Iyanna” was like a peon to Pottu at his office and a servant boy to Pottu’s wife at his home.

In 1994 Vinayagam was promoted to Lieutenant and transferred to Vavuniya as the LTTE’s head of intelligence for the Vavuniya District. In 1996 he was given the responsibility of conducting reconnaissance or “recce” in the jungles of the Northern and North Central Province and devising jungle routes to infiltrate government-controlled regions. Later in 1997 he was assigned to coordinate work with former LTTE military intelligence chief Charles who was in charge of all covert operations and assassinations in Colombo and the Provinces outside the Northern and Eastern Provinces; Vavuniya and Batticaloa were the key points from where preparations were planned and executed for such activity. Ramanan was then the intelligence leader for Batticaloa-Amparai and Vinayagam, was the intelligence leader for the Vavunia District, and they handled logistics in their respective areas. Both Ramanan and Vinayagam had preparatory roles in many of the assassinations perpetrated by the LTTE during this time.

In 1999 Vinayagam was promoted as Captain and transferred to the greater Colombo region with new duties; reportedly stationed in the Negombo area. During his time in Negombo-Colombo, Vinayagam layed the groundwork for the LTTE’s attack of the Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake on 12 July 2001. He took credit for the attack against the airport. He was then recalled to the Vanni and promoted to Major.

After the Oslo-facilitated ceasefire in 2002 the LTTE intelligence division created a special unit to oversee matters concerning operatives working outside the Vanni in various parts of Sri Lanka as well as those functioning abroad, outside Sri Lanka. The special intelligence unit was called “External-Internal Intelligence Affairs.” Vinayagam was made the head of this special unit in 2002. At one point he travelled to India under a false passport and stayed for a while there setting up a support network. He also accompanied the LTTE delegation going to Europe for “peace talks” under a false passport and travelled through many European countries engaging with Tamil Diaspora.

As the Sri Lankan Army was steadily advancing in 2009, the LTTE resorted to desperate measures. One such measure was the deployment of a team of Black Tigers for the LTTE’s elite suicide attack unit to the south of the country led by Vinayagamoorthy, who then held the title of Lieutenant Colonel. However, this operation was not successful. As Vinayagam was outside the Vanni when the Sri Lankan Army was advancing, he was able to escape to India before the LTTE was defeated in Sri Lanka. Then Vinayagam left India for a Southeast Asian country. From there he flew to London on a false passport with the help of relatives in the UK in October/November 2009. After a brief period of time in the UK, Vinayagam went to the continental mainland and sought political asylum in Paris.

Designated as terrorists

Since Vinayagam has been in Europe, he has brought together LTTE intelligence operatives into a closely knit unit and has remained its sole leader. Vinayagam had been in charge of LTTE external intelligence and knew most operatives personally, therefore it was not difficult for him to establish his authority.

Sri Lankan authorities obtained a warrant for the arrest of Sekarapillai Vinayakamoorthy, a.k.a. Vinayagam from the Chief Magistrates Courts in Colombo on 24 November, 2010. Since Vinayagam is operating in areas beyond national jurisdiction, Sri Lankan officials obtained the services of the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) to issue a “Red Notice” on Vinayagam for his offence of terrorism. A detailed dossier was compiled on Vinayagam and sent to relevant law enforcement authorities worldwide.

The Government of Sri Lanka also designated the Headquarters Group led by Vinayagam and 15 other pro-LTTE organizations functioning internationally as “Foreign Terrorist Entities” on 21 March 2014 utilizing the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1373 (which was brought about by the USA on September 28, 2001 after the attack on New York twin towers on September 11, 2001).
In April 2014, Sri Lankan authorities obtained Interpol Red Notices for 40 LTTE operatives, which included three leaders of the Headquarters Group: Vinayagam, Regi, and Ampurus.

The Headquarters Group led by Vinayagam is suspected of assassinating Nadarajah Matheenthiran, a.k.a Parithy, a.k.a. Regan, the LTTE’s chief in Paris who belonged to the Nediyavan Group on 13 November 2012.

Vinayagam and his group are now trying to establish greater control over the entire LTTE overseas structure at present. There is evidence of methodical dedication in his conduct since he escaped from Sri Lanka in 2009. Vinayagam and members of the Headquarters Group are likely to continue to operate clandestinely and conduct terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka. Furthermore, his partnership with TGTE will enable him to infiltrate the human rights platforms in Geneva and elsewhere.

Vinayagam fled Sri Lanka for India and then to France harnessing the LTTE international support network that used human smugglers, drug traffickers, and weapon smugglers. He claimed that he was from the Head Quarters Group, meaning those who came from the battlefield vs the support base. The Head Quarters Group meant the real LTTE and not those serving the support network overseas. Although Vinayagam portrayed that he respected those who supported and enabled the fight from overseas, he believed that he was different because he had served the LTTE right until the end.

Vinayagam did not serve as a frontline combat fighter but as an intelligence operator organizing and conducting classic terrorist attacks in the South especially in the capital of Colombo. Notorious worldwide for its acts of suicide terrorism, Vinayagam’s speciality was in gathering intelligence and mounting suicide bombings, assassinations and attacks. Without a doubt, compared to the other LTTE leaders serving internationally – Visvanathan Rudrakumaran in the US, Perimpanayagam Sivaparan alias Nediyawan in Norway, Father S. J. Emmanuel in the UK – Vinayagam who lives in France is the most lethal.

Killer of World’s two leaders

The international community if it seriously committed to fighting terrorism should look at Vinayagam. He was fourth ranking leader of LTTE Intelligence Wing, responsible for killing two world leaders – Rajiv Gandhi and Ranasinghe Premadasa. The same network was responsible for developing the most ruthless killing tools including the suicide vest and effectively using it.

After Pottu, Kapilamman, Mathavan Master, Vinayagam was the leader and he was personally responsible for directing and conducting several attacks that killed civilians and civilian infrastructure.

Not only he has the knowledge of terror tools, tactics and techniques but he is motivated to recommence a campaign of terror. Permitting Vinayagam to live in France after he denied life and freedom to many is a mistake. A priority in accountability is not only bringing perpetrators to justice but unrepentant perpetrators who present a high level continuing threat both to the host and the target state.