Former Kingston mayor Councillor Yogan Yoganathan has strongly denied supporting terrorism after the Sri Lankan government accused him of being a "hardcore" Tamil Tiger campaigner.

The accusations posted on a Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence website on Saturday came after Coun Yoganathan organised a meeting at Tolworth Girls School calling for reconciliation and an end to violence in the volatile south Asian country.

The meeting - attended by Kingston's Liberal Democrat MPs Edward Davey and Susan Kramer - also attracted a telephone threat to Coun Yoganathan's home last week and claims on a website called independentsl.com condemning Coun Yoganathan as a Tamil Tigers supporter. Mr Davey said he and Susan Kramer plan to confront the Sri Lankan High Commissioner face-to-face over the claims.

Coun Yoganathan contacted Kingston police after the abusive call, and four officers attended the meeting at 2pm for security. It was attended by about 100 Tamil residents.

The latest comments which appeared on the Sri Lankan government's Media Centre for National Security - precisely echoing the words on independentsl.com - have added to Coun Yoganathan's distress.

Coun Yoganathan, former chair of Kingston's Racial Equality Council, said: "It hurts me when people make accusations like this. I am a humanitarian activist and I do not want anyone to have human rights violations. I have worked so hard to help people - I am for everyone and I will work with everyone. I want us to have peace and rebuild Sri Lanka jointly."

John Azah, chair of Kingston's Racial Equality Council said: "Yogan is totally, totally against violence and has always promoted inclusiveness. They are just making mischief against any Tamils with influence in this country."

The websites claim Coun Yoganathan is a "hardcore Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam(LTTE) activist carrying Liberal Democratic party card to campaign for the LTTE.

" . . . The LTTE councillors do not condemn the atrocities committed by the Tigers and advocate LTTE's actions as necessities to weed out the enemies of LTTE."

Sri Lanka has been plagued by violence since the 1980s and a ceasefire since 2002 is looking shaky after violent acts by both the government and Tamil rebels.

Coun Yoganathan, a Kingston resident for nearly 40 years, has arranged peace vigils and one of the speakers he welcomed on Saturday was Vickramabahu Karunarathna - the leader of prominent Sinhalese party Nava Sama Samaja.

Kingston and Surbiton MP Edward Davey said: "It is absolute nonsense to suggest this meeting was supporting the LTTE. This is clearly an attempt to intimidate people and prevent freedom of speech through false allegations."

Coun Yoganathan said he condemned the use of violence by both the Tamil Tigers and the government and that he wants to work with both side to bring peace. He said he and the MPs are making statements to the police about the "hurtful and untrue" claims that he supports violence.