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2pm BST
Former Tamil Tigers commander leaves UK after war crimes inquiry dropped

* Owen Bowcott
* guardian.co.uk,
* Friday July 4, 2008
* Article history

Vinayagamoorthi Muralitharan, better known as Karuna, in Sri Lanka in 2004

Vinayagamoorthi Muralitharan, better known as Karuna, in Sri Lanka in 2004. Photograph: Sena Vidanagama/AFP/Getty

Colonel Karuna Amman, the Tamil paramilitary leader who was jailed for entering Britain on a fraudulent passport and investigated by the Metropolitan police for alleged war crimes, has left Britain.

The 45-year-old former Tamil Tigers commander returned to Sri Lanka yesterday. It is not clear whether he was deported or opted for voluntary repatriation after withdrawing an application for asylum.

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch condemned the government for failing to bring war crimes charges. Karuna's breakaway paramilitary group, the Tamil People's Liberation Tigers (TVMP), which now supports the Sri Lankan government, has been widely accused of abducting teenagers, forcing them to serve as child soldiers, inflicting torture and carrying out summary executions.

Karuna, whose full name is Vinayagamoorthi Muralitharan, entered the UK on a forged diplomatic passport. He was arrested in a police raid on a London flat last summer.

During his trial for immigration offences at Isleworth crown court in January, it was said that the passport and UK visa were supplied to him by the Sri Lankan defence minister. The country's high commission in London denied the allegation. Karuna was sentenced to nine months in prison.

"The British government had an alleged war criminal in custody for six months and couldn't manage to file charges," said Brad Adams, the Asia director at Human Rights Watch, in London. "This was a rare opportunity to hold a leader of the Tamil Tigers accountable for horrific human rights abuses, and the British government blew it."

Amnesty International called on the UK authorities to improve witness protection schemes for those prepared to testify in war crimes cases. It said Britain should establish "an independent and specialised police and prosecution unit with sufficient resources to deal with crimes against humanity, torture and war crimes".

In response to a freedom of information request submitted by the Guardian, the Crown Prosecution Service explained why the war crimes investigation had been terminated.

"A file of evidence relating to one serious allegation was submitted to the CPS for advice," the CPS said. "Following review, the prosecutor advised that there was no realistic prospect of a conviction against Colonel Karuna for any criminal offences based on the evidence that has been submitted to the CPS."

Karuna's wife and children live in the UK. Asked about Karuna's departure, a Home Office spokesman said: "We don't comment on individual cases. Those people who come here and break our laws will be removed."
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This article was first published on guardian.co.uk on Friday July 04 2008. It was last updated at 15:29 on July 04 2008.

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