Australian Federal Police (AFP) is examining a war crime dossier prepared by the ICJ's Australian chapter which says there is "direct and credible evidence of war crimes and crimes against humanity" by the Sri Lanka Navy during the last stages of the civil war against Tamil rebels in 2009, The Age newspaper said, citing unidentified sources.
Sri Lanka's Canberra high commissioner, former admiral Thisara Samarasinghe was the navy's eastern and then northern areas commander, as well as chief of staff, in the last months of the war, during which naval ships allegedly fired on civilians as they fled the conflict, the paper quoted the ICJ as saying.
Witnesses - former Sri Lankan residents now living in Australia - can attest to the crimes, the source told the newspaper.
While there has been no evidence against him that he was involved in shelling, or gave direct orders to that effect, the submission before the police states military superiors hold a responsibility for the actions of those under their command.
A spokesman was quoted by the newspaper that "the AFP is currently evaluating the submission. Therefore it is not appropriate to comment further."
Samarasinghe said that all of his - and the navy's - actions during the conflict were legal.
"There is no truth whatsoever of allegations of misconduct or illegal behaviour. The Sri Lanka Navy did not fire at civilians during any stage and all action was taken to save the lives of civilians from clutches of terrorists," he said.
The commission's submission has been sent to the AFP and the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions, as well as to the offices of the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister.
It has sought for investigations into Samarasinghe and other key military and political figures, including President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is commander-in-chief of Sri Lanka's armed forces, with a view to issuing arrest warrants against those responsible.
Sri Lanka has persistently denied that its troops committed any war crimes while battling the LTTE.
Sri Lanka deflected a Western-led push for a war crimes investigation at recent UN Human Rights Council sessions. Western nations are still calling for an independent probe for killing thousands of civilians in May 2009.
A United Nations advisory panel's report says there is "credible evidence" that both sides committed war crimes, which the government hotly contests.
The International Commission of Jurists is an independent international law body, based in Geneva and holds consultative status with UNESCO, the Council of Europe, and the African Union.
President of Australian section is former NSW Supreme Court justice and attorney-general John Dowd who refused to comment.