A former member of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has told a three judge High Court bench that he shared a close bond with missing journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda and had informed senior LTTE leaders about their relationship.
The testimony was delivered on Friday (October 16) during the ongoing trial into Ekneligoda’s abduction and enforced disappearance in January 2010.
The witness, Sumathipala Suresh Kumar, alias Murali, stated that he had shared a brotherly bond with Ekneligoda during his time with the LTTE, according to reports from the court proceedings.
While being cross examined by defence counsel Asith Siriwardana, Murali said he had discussed his experiences during the war with Ekneligoda. He also revealed that he had informed senior LTTE figures, including Tamilselvan, Gnanavel and Pottu Amman, about their association.
Murali further acknowledged having previously provided a statement regarding a conversation he had with Ekneligoda in Habarana.
According to the witness, Ekneligoda had mentioned the possibility of changing the country’s leadership by targeting an aircraft carrying then President Mahinda Rajapaksa with a missile.
However, responding to further questions from Deputy Solicitor General Wasantha Perera, Murali explained that the statement had arisen during a hypothetical discussion about political changes after the conclusion of the war.
He testified that he and another individual, identified as Nathan, had been discussing their hopes of living peacefully after the conflict. When the possibility was raised that the government might continue in power for another 20 years, Ekneligoda reportedly referred to a hypothetical missile attack on the presidential aircraft to demonstrate how rapidly the political situation could change, despite the end of the war.
The testimony forms part of the ongoing court proceedings concerning the disappearance of the journalist.
