The Hindu : Front Page : Eight held in U.S. for supporting LTTE

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Aug 23, 2006

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Eight held in U.S. for supporting LTTE

B. Muralidhar Reddy

COLOMBO: In two separate cases, eight persons have been arrested and charged by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) with conspiracy to provide "material support and resources" to the LTTE.

The U.S. embassy here, which provided details, however, said the charges were merely allegations and the defendants were presumed innocent until proved guilty.

While Colombo took note of the development by publicising it on the web site of its Peace Secretariat, there was no word from the Tamil Tigers.

A press statement by the U.S. embassy here said two complaints were unsealed on August 21 in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn charging 13 defendants with multiple crimes, including conspiracy to provide material support and resources to the LTTE, a designated terrorist organisation.

It said four of the defendants were arrested on Long Island, New York, on August 19, after three of them travelled to New York from Canada to attempt to purchase Russian-made SA-18 surface-to-air missiles, missile launchers, AK-47s, and other weapons to be used by the LTTE.

In the second complaint, multiple defendants are charged with providing material support to the LTTE that included the procurement of military equipment and dual use technology, fund raising and money laundering through "front" charitable organisations and U.S. bank accounts.

The complaint also charged that the defendants attempted to obtain classified information.

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