British Govt in dilemma over Karuna issue

The Crown Prosecution Service of Britain is looking to charge the controversial former LTTE leader, Karuna Amman of war crimes, torture and hostage-taking, it is reported.

Karuna Amman, whose defection was the biggest split that the LTTE has suffered three years ago, was arrested in Britain last month on suspicion of immigration offences.

He led the LTTE in the East until March 2003, when he left the terrorist organisation and formed his own group, the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP). The TMVP has since split with Pillaiyan taking over the leadership after Karuna left the island.

In May, Kim Howells, a Foreign Office minister, told the House of Commons that the Government believed "Karuna and his faction to be responsible for extra-judicial killings, abductions, intimidation of displaced persons and child recruitment".

While many have welcomed these moves, political analysts argue that Karuna has to be charged for all his crimes, including those committed while still a member of the LTTE.

In fact, they argue that if Karuna is tried, it logically compels British authorities to leave no legal stone unturned in bringing to justice all those who are or were connected with the LTTE and now living in Britain for their respective roles in horrendous crimes against humanity.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown had earlier promised to come down hard on foreign criminals in Britain: "If you come here, you work and you learn our language; you play by the rules or face the consequences."

It is well known that London has been the operative base for LTTE fund-raising activities and other criminal operations for several decades.