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{{Short description|Sri Lankan Tamil militant}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| honorific_prefix = Colonel
| name = Charles
| honorific_suffix =
| native_name = கேணல் சாள்ஸ்
| native_name_lang = ta
| image = Colonel Charles.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name = S. Ravishankar
| birth_date =
| birth_place =
| death_date = {{Death date|2008|01|05|df=yes}}
| death_place = [[Mannar District]]
| death_cause =
| nationality = [[Sri Lanka]]n
| other_names = Arulventhan
| citizenship =
| education =
| alma_mater =
| occupation =
| years_active = 1985–2008
| organization = [[Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam]]
| known_for =
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}}
'''Shanmuganathan Ravishankar''' ({{lang-ta|சண்முகநாதன் ரவிசங்கர்}} ''Caṇmukanātaṉ Ravicaṅkar''; died 5 January 2008; commonly known by the nom de guerre '''Charles''') was a leading member of the TOSIS, the intelligence wing of [[Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam]] (LTTE), a [[Sri Lankan Tamil militant groups|separatist Tamil militant organisation]] in [[Sri Lanka]].

Ravishankar was from [[Point Pedro]]. He joined the LTTE in December 1985, whilst still at school, and took on the [[nom de guerre]] Charles.<ref name=TN060108a>{{cite news|title=LTTE's Head of Military Intelligence killed in Claymore ambush|url=http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=24197|newspaper=[[TamilNet]]|date=6 January 2008}}</ref><ref name=TN130108>{{cite news|last=Jeyaraj|first=D. B. S.|title=Mastermind behind LTTE attacks outside NE killed|url=http://www.nation.lk/2008/01/13/newsfe1.htm|newspaper=[[The Nation (Sri Lanka)]]|date=13 January 2008|authorlink=|access-date=11 May 2013|archive-date=30 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160430041339/http://www.nation.lk/2008/01/13/newsfe1.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=AT070108>{{cite news|last=Weerakoon|first=Ruwan|title=spy-wing leader Charles given a heroes cremation by Tamil Tigers|url=http://www.asiantribune.com/node/9019|newspaper=[[Asian Tribune]]|date=7 January 2008}}</ref> His first duty was to be a sentry near Point Pedro army camp after school.<ref name=TN130108/> He abandoned his education in 1987.<ref name=TN130108/> He then worked in a shop run by the LTTE.<ref name=TN130108/> Charles' first armed combat was in May 1987 during the [[Vadamarachchi Operation]] (Operation Liberation) in which the [[Sri Lankan military]] recaptured most of [[Vadamarachchi]].<ref name=TN130108/> He took part in the LTTE's retaliatory attack on the army camp at [[Nelliady Central College]] on 5 July 1987.<ref name=TN130108/>

Charles then served under Captain Morris, the LTTE's commander for Point Pedro, taking part in operations against the [[Indian Peace Keeping Force]] (IPKF).<ref name=TN060108b>{{cite news|title=Vanni pays homage to Col. Charles|url=http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=24205|newspaper=[[TamilNet]]|date=6 January 2008}}</ref> Charles then served in [[Manal Aru]] before returning to [[Jaffna peninsula]].<ref name=TN060108b/> He was the LTTE's commander for Vadamarachchi when the IPKF withdrew to India in 1990.<ref name=TN060108b/>

Charles was introduced to the LTTE's [[Military intelligence|intelligence]] head [[Pottu Amman (Tamil militant)|Pottu Amman]] by his body guard Kili.<ref name=TN130108/> Pottu Amman chose Charles to prepare a base in southern Sri Lanka for attacks.<ref name=TN060108b/> Charles and some other intelligence operatives were sent to [[Colombo]] in early 1990.<ref name=TN130108/> He returned to the north after war broke out again between the LTTE and the Sri Lankan military in June 1990.<ref name=TN130108/> The LTTE then received intelligence that Deputy Defence Minister [[Ranjan Wijeratne]] and the [[Joint Operations Command (Sri Lanka)|Joint Operations Command]] were planning to assassinate LTTE leader [[V. Prabhakaran]] as he and his wife Mathivathani were praying at the [[Nallur Kandaswamy temple]] in [[Jaffna]].<ref name=TN130108/><ref name=SL130108>{{cite news|last=Perera|first=Amantha|title=Three days to day of reckoning|url=http://www.thesundayleader.lk/archive/20080113/parliament.htm|newspaper=[[The Sunday Leader]]|date=13 January 2008}}</ref> Charles was sent back to Colombo in January 1991 to deliver the LTT's response to the assassination plot.<ref name=TN130108/> Wijeratne was [[Havelock Road Bombing|assassinated]] on 2 March 1991 and the Joint Operations Command building was blown up on 22 June 1991. Charles is alleged to have taken part in both attacks.<ref name=TN130108/><ref name=ST130108>{{cite news|last=Athas|first=Iqbal|title=Charles: LTTE's prince of faceless terror|url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/080113/Columns/sitreport.html|newspaper=[[The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka)]]|date=13 January 2008|authorlink=Iqbal Athas}}</ref> He is also alleged to have taken part in the assassinations of [[Clancy Fernando]] (16 November 1992); [[Lalith Athulathmudali]] (23 April 1993); President [[Ranasinghe Premadasa]] (1 May 1993); and [[Gamini Dissanayake]], [[Ossie Abeygunasekera]], [[Weerasinghe Mallimarachchi]], [[G. M. Premachandra]] and Gamini Wijesekara (24 October 1994).<ref name=TN130108/> He is also alleged to have taken part in the attacks on the Kolonnawa fuel storage complex (20 October 1995) and [[Kelanitissa Power Station|Kelanithissa power plant]] (14 November 1997).<ref name=TN130108/><ref name=AT070108/> Charles is alleged to have masterminded the [[Central Bank bombing]] on 31 January 1996.<ref name=TN130108/><ref name=AT070108/><ref name=ST130108/> Prabhakaran is alleged to have given Charles a [[Mitsubishi Pajero]] as a reward for the Central Bank attack.<ref name=AT070108/><ref name=ST130108/>

After the Sri Lankan authorities became aware of his presence in Colombo, Charles moved to the East, serving as the LTTE's intelligence head in Batticaloa-Ampara between 1997 and 2000.<ref name=TN060108a/><ref name=TN130108/><ref name=AT070108/> During this time he is alleged to have masterminded the assassinations of [[Neelan Tiruchelvam]] (29 July 1999); [[Lucky Algama]] (8 December 1999); and [[C. V. Gunaratne]] (7 June 2000).<ref name=TN130108/> He is also believed to have been behind the unsuccessful assassination attempt on President [[Chandrika Kumaratunga]] on 18 December 1999.<ref name=TN130108/> He led the successful [[Bandaranaike Airport attack|commando raid]] on [[Bandaranaike International Airport]] on 24 July 2001 in which no civilians were hurt.<ref name=TN060108b/>

After the 2002 ceasefire Charles started expanding the LTTE's intelligence network in the Colombo region, particularly Sinhalese members of the police and armed forces.<ref name=TN130108/> He is also worked to eliminate members of Tamil paramilitary groups and Tamils spying for the Sri Lankan authorities.<ref name=TN130108/> In 2004 he was made head of the newly created Military Intelligence Wing of the LTTE.<ref name=TN060108a/><ref name=TN130108/><ref name=AT070108/> He is alleged to have been behind the [[2006 Digampathana bombing|Habarana bombing]] (16 October 2006) and [[Attack on Galle Harbour|attack]] on Galle Harbour (18 October 2006).<ref name=TN130108/> He took part in gathering intelligence about the [[SLAF Anuradhapura|Anuradhapura air base]] prior to it being [[Raid on Anuradhapura Air Force Base|attacked]] on 22 October 2007.<ref name=TN130108/> He was later placed in charge of all external operations and made commander of a special combat unit in [[Mannar District]].<ref name=TN130108/>

In early 2008 Charles was assisting [[Sea Tigers]] leader [[Soosai]] fortify the Sea Tiger base at [[Vidattaltivu]], Mannar District.<ref name=ST130108/> Lieutenant Colonel Charles and three other LTTE members were killed on 5 January 2008 by a [[claymore mine]] placed by the Army's [[Deep Penetration Unit]] (LRRP) as they travelled in van between Iluppaikkadavai and Pallamadu in Mannar District.<ref>{{cite news|title=Tamil intelligence chief killed|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7173679.stm|newspaper=[[BBC News]]|date=6 January 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Gardner|first=Simon|title=Sri Lanka says kills Tiger military intelligence head|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSCOL169086|newspaper=[[Reuters]]|date=6 January 2008|access-date=30 June 2017|archive-date=30 June 2013|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130630060337/http://www.reuters.com/article/2008/01/06/idUSCOL169086|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=LTTE intelligence chief 'colonel' Charles killed|url=http://expressindia.indianexpress.com/latest-news/LTTE-intelligence-chief-colonel-Charles-killed/258319/|newspaper=[[The Indian Express]]|date=6 January 2008|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130629121140/http://expressindia.indianexpress.com/latest-news/LTTE-intelligence-chief-colonel-Charles-killed/258319/|archivedate=29 June 2013}}</ref> There were conflicting reports about his age - the Sri Lankan military claimed he was 35 whilst others reported that he was 43.<ref name=SL130108/><ref>{{cite news|last=Ubayasiri|first=Kasun|title=Col Charles’s Death: Media Coverage & Strategic Implications|url=http://www.srilankaguardian.org/2008/01/col-charless-death-media-coverage.html|newspaper=Sri Lanka Guardian|date=21 January 2008}}</ref> His remains were buried in the LTTE's heroes cemetery at [[Kanakapuram]], [[Kilinochchi District]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Col. Charles laid to rest in Ki'linochchi|url=http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=24227|newspaper=[[TamilNet]]|date=9 January 2008}}</ref> He was posthumously promoted to Colonel.<ref name=TN130108/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.eelamwallpapers.com/details.php?image_id=453 Eelam Wallpapers]
* [http://www.eelamview.com/2013/01/05/col-charles-3/ Eelam View]

{{Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Charles}}
[[Category:Year of birth missing]]
[[Category:2008 deaths]]
[[Category:Landmine victims]]
[[Category:Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam members]]
[[Category:People from Northern Province, Sri Lanka]]
[[Category:People killed during the Sri Lankan Civil War]]
[[Category:Sri Lankan Tamil rebels]]
[[Category:Indian Peace Keeping Force]]

Charles (Tamil militant) - Revision history

Bot: robot: Create/update articles. If there is a mistake please report on my talk page.