Podcast

Child Soldier to Double Agent: The Untold Story of Kagusthan Ariaratnam Spy Tiger: The 05 File

In this powerful interview, former child soldier Kagusthan Ariaratnam shares his extraordinary journey from being forcibly recruited into the Tamil Tigers during the Sri Lankan Civil War to becoming an intelligence operative and global peace advocate.

Kagusthan’s memoir Spy Tiger: The 05 File reveals the hidden realities of war, espionage, survival, and the psychological toll of conflict. Kidnapped as a teenager and thrust into the brutal world of insurgency and intelligence operations, he later worked across multiple intelligence environments before dedicating his life to helping others understand the true cost of war.

Today, he leads Project O Five, a nonprofit initiative focused on global cooperation, peacebuilding, and bridging divides through a combination of soft power and strategic thinking.

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About Kagusthan Ariaratnam

Kagusthan Ariaratnam is an Ottawa-based defense analyst with more than 25 years of professional experience. His career began under challenging circumstances as a child soldier for the Tamil Tigers, later transitioning into prominent roles within various international intelligence agencies from 1990 to 2010. In 1992, Ariaratnam was appointed as an intelligence officer with the Tamil Tigers' Military Intelligence Service, managing intelligence operations for both the Sea Tigers and the Air Tigers, the organization's naval and aerial divisions, until 1995. His extensive background provides him with distinctive expertise in contemporary counterintelligence, counterinsurgency, and counterterrorism strategies. Ariaratnam notably experienced both sides of the Sri Lankan civil conflict—first as an insurgent with the Tamil Tigers and subsequently as a military intelligence analyst for the Sri Lankan government's Directorate of Military Intelligence. In recognition of his significant contributions to the Global War on Terrorism, he received the Institute of Defense and Strategic Studies Award in October 2003. Currently, Ariaratnam is pursuing Communication and Media Studies at the University of Ottawa and leads of Project O Five Ltd. He can be contacted via email at [email protected].

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