The LTTE's Sea Tiger chief Thillayampalan Sivanesan alias Soosai flew to Singapore yesterday for medical treatment security sources at the Katunayake airport said.
They said a special Air Force helicopter had brought Soosai to Colombo from Kilinochchi on Monday evening and he spent the night in Colombo before leaving for Singapore.
It is learnt that several other LTTE cadres also accompanied Soosai.
Soosai's visit to Singapore follows speculation that he had defected from the LTTE due to a dispute with the leadership.
In a statement later, London based LTTE spokesman Anton Balasingham denied the reports and said Soosai had a bullet lodged in his back from a wound sustained in fighting during the IPKF intervention. The bullet had gradually moved and occasionally causes severe discomfort, compelling him to rest.
Meanwhile, the Government Peace Secretariat in a statement said it was informed by the Norwegian Embassy in Colombo that Soosai was in need of emergency medical treatment abroad because of a rapidly worsening condition caused by an old injury sustained in a conflict. The assistance of the government was sought to facilitate his departure from Sri Lanka yesterday accompanied by his medical team.
In response to this, and on humanitarian grounds, the LTTE group was transported by the government from Kilinochchi to Colombo. Thereafter, the group travelled abroad on Sri Lanka passports at their own expense, the Peace Secretariat said.
