'Held captive by the Tamil Tigers' By Kathleen McCaul
Vivekanandan and Jeyadevan Vivekanandan (left) says he was released to sign over the temple A leading Tamil activist resident in the UK who was a former supporter of Sri Lanka's Tamil Tigers has been talking to the BBC about his alleged kidnapping by the rebels.
Rasingham Jeyadevan says he was held captive by the Tigers during a recent trip to Sri Lanka.
He says the rebels demanded that he hand over a temple in north London by way of ransom.
The Tamil Tigers have denied that they took him hostage.
The matter has been under police investigation.
Mr Jeyadevan is the chairman of the Eelap Patheeswarar temple in Wembley.
He travelled to Sri Lanka with his colleague Vivekanandan soon after last year's tsunami, to talk to the Tamil Tigers about their influence on the Tamil diaspora in London.
But, he says, instead of holding discussions, the Tigers forced the pair to a detention centre deep in the jungle.
'Paralysed with fear'
"It was a two bedroom bungalow in a very bad state," he recalls.
Jeyadevan They thought they could influence people and turn the temple into a money making machine Rasingham Jeyadevan
"The rooms and beds were filthy. At least 15 fellows must have slept on those beds - they stank.
"The place was infested with snakes, frogs and reptiles. Interrogators came to interview us, but they did a shabby job," he added.
"We were paralysed with fear. We soon realized that we had been kidnapped because of the temple back home," said Mr Vivekanandan, who is the temple secretary.
After 42 days, Mr Vivekanandan says he was released to return to the UK and sign the temple over to a registered charity in London, the Sivayogam Trust.
Mr Jeyadevan says he was held for a further 20 days as security.
"I couldn't say anything. I was frightened for Rasingham's life. I just closed my eyes and signed so many papers," Mr Vivekanandan says.
Fundraising
Mr Jeyadevan, who founded The Tamil Guardian newspaper, believes that the Tamil Tigers wanted the temple to raise funds for their activities in Sri Lanka.
"The temple is a place where large numbers of Tamils come.
"They thought they could influence people and turn the temple into a money making machine," he says.
