US embassy cable - 05COLOMBO1619

S E C R E T COLOMBO 001619 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NOFORN 
 
NEW DELHI ALSO FOR LEGATT AND USCUSTOMS: JDOZIER, GRISING 
AND KSTEPHENSON 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/12/2015 
TAGS: PTER, PINR, CVIS, EWWT, CE, AS, LTTE - Peace Process 
SUBJECT: AUSTRALIANS INVESTIGATE POSSIBLE LTTE ATTEMPT TO 
PURCHASE SHIP IN AUSTRALIA 
 
Classified By: Classified by Ambassador Jeffrey J. Lunstead 
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
 1.  (S/NF)  We have been advised by the Australian High 
Commission here in Colombo that it has alerted authorities 
in Canberra to what appears to be an effort by a front 
company of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to 
purchase a small cargo ship in Australia.  Without sharing 
full details with us, our Australian colleagues have told 
us that the matter came to light as a result of coordination 
between their immigration and commercial sections and that 
some Sri Lankan "political figures" (including a Muslim 
member of Parliament from the opposition United National 
Party) may be involved.  The matter is now under 
investigation by Australian law enforcement agencies.  The 
Australians tell us they have been coordinating this with 
Sri Lankan intelligence agencies. 
 
2.  (S/NF) The name of what the Australians call the 
"pseudo-LTTE shipping company" is Liverpool Navigation Ltd. 
located at 286 B 1/1, Galle Road, Colombo 03, Sri Lanka. 
The vessel in question is the "ITAC Express," a "general 
cargo-CGO" which has a dead weight of 2181 metric tons and 
a draft of 4.6 meters.  It was built in 1970 in Adelaide. 
According to "intelligence," the Australians believe the 
LTTE intends to register the ship in Cambodia. 
 
3.  (S/NF)  The vessel was inspected in Cairns on August 14, 
2005 by two "officials" of Liverpool Navigations.  They are: 
 
-- Mr. Sathasivam Vincendrarajan (Chairman), DOB January 
31, 1966, Sri Lankan passport number N140022, residing at 
26/1 Alfred Place, Colombo 03 Sri Lanka 
 
-- Mr. Carlton Hariharan Francis Xavier (General 
Manager/Technical), DOB December 7, 1960, Sri Lankan 
passport number N1456577, residing at 30B Nimal 
Road, Colombo 04 Sri Lanka 
 
4.  (S/NF)  Comment:  This apparent purchase fits the 
longstanding pattern of LTTE use of aged cargo vessels both 
for their cargo business and for shipment of weapons and 
supplies into LTTE-controlled areas in the North and the 
East.  The Australians here tell us that, in their 
interactions with the Sri Lankan government, the 
intelligence agencies wanted the sale to go forward so that 
the ship, its owners and crew and its activities could be 
tracked and, perhaps, information gleaned about the LTTE 
overseas procurement network.  A political decision was 
made (the Australians imply by President Kumaratunga), 
however, to work with the Australians to prevent the 
purchase from taking place.  We will stay in touch with the 
Australians here about this issue, which comes at a time 
when the Australians are also considering, in the wake of 
the August 12 LTTE murder of the Sri Lankan foreign 
minister, whether to issue a visa to a senior member of the 
LTTE-linked political party, the Tamil National Alliance 
(TNA), who wishes to attend meetings in Australia in 
October.  Regarding visas, post Visas Viper committee will 
consider the two gentlemen (as well as any other names that 
arise as the matter unfolds further) in paragraph three for 
inclusion at its next meeting. 
LUNSTEAD