Sri Lanka keeping track of probe against LTTE leader in Norway

Sri Lankan embassy in Oslo has been asked to keep a track of the developments in the probe against Perinbanayagam Sivaparan alias Nedivayan and inform it to Colombo, an official at External Affairs Ministry said.

Sivaparan is believed to be the current leader of the LTTE, following the death of Velupillai Prabakaran two years ago at the hands of the government troops. Kumaran Pathmanathan who succeeded Prabakaran was later arrested by Sri Lankan authorities.

Last week, Sivaparan was summoned by a Norwegian court for probe into allegations that LTTE extorted Tamils abroad by threatening to harm their relatives in Sri Lanka.
Sri Lankan forces defeated the LTTE in May 2009 and ended their three-decade armed campaign to establish a separate nation for Tamils.

Norway brokered a ceasefire in 2002 between Sri Lanka and Tigers that fell apart and led to the decisive battle that destroyed the LTTE. Colombo accuses it of aiding the LTTE, but Norway denies the allegation.