Germany convicts ex-LTTE member over Kadirgamar killing

A former LTTE member has been sentenced by the Stuttgart regional court in Germany after he was found guilty of accessory to murder in the killing of foreign minister Lakshman Kadirgamar in 2005, foreign media reported today.

The court has sentenced the convict to six years and 10 months imprisonment. However, the news report said the ruling can be appealed.

The court has concluded that the defendant Navanithan G. had tipped off LTTE members about Mr. Kadirgamar’s whereabouts.

Prosecutors have said that the defendant, who applied for asylum in Germany in 2012, was a member of the LTTE’ intelligence unit.

German News Agency DPA reported that the defendant has first admitted during his asylum interview that he had tipped off Kadirgamar’s assassins. However, he has claimed in court that his words had been mistranslated.