Top Tiger arrested in Australia

* Charged with raising funds for LTTE

* Tsunami funds channelled to terror group

AUSTRALIA: Australian police charged a man with multiple terrorism offenses yesterday for his alleged role in raising money for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) by telling donors it was for victims of the 2004 Asian tsunami.

Arumugam Rajeevan, 41, appeared briefly in a Sydney court and was ordered to be transferred to Melbourne, where two other men accused of channelling money to the rebels were arrested in May. Rajeevan has been charged with being a member of a terrorist organisation, providing support or resources to a terrorist organisation and making an asset available to a proscribed entity.

The charges carry maximum prison terms of 25, 10 and five years, respectively. If convicted, Rajeevan and two Melbourne businessmen, Aruran Vinayagamoorthy, 32, and Sivarajah Yathavan, 36, could face up to 25 years in jail.

“(Rajeevan) was charged in connection with two earlier arrests in May this year to do with raising money for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, the terrorist group,” said Police Commissioner Mick Keelty. After the first arrests, Australia played down a suggestion that the country was a major source of funds for the Tigers.

Foreign Secretary Dr. Palitha Kohona said that up to 30 per cent of the Tigers’ external funding was raised in Australia.

Vinayagamoorthy and Yathavan were seized in May during raids in the Victoria state capital, Melbourne, after a two-year investigation by state and federal police.

Officials allege the men collected funds for the Sri Lankan rebel group by telling donors they were raising money funds for victims of the 2004 tsunami. Sri Lanka was among the hardest-hit of a dozen countries struck by killer tsunami waves, triggered by a massive undersea earthquake on Dec. 26, 2004.

The 230,000 people killed in the disaster included at least 35,000 Sri Lankans.

AP, AFP

Int. community lauded for steps to suppress LTTE

Ranil Wijayapala

COLOMBO: Government Defence Spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella yesterday thanked the international community for the assistance extended to suppress LTTE terrorism in their countries.

Refuting claims by certain sections that the proscription of the LTTE in many countries has brought no results, the Minister said many countries have taken meaningful steps to curb LTTE terrorism.

“Credit should be given to the international community for suppressing terrorism while showing concern about the human rights situation in the country”, the Minister added.

The Minister said overwhelming support has been extended to the Government in its bid to suppress LTTE activities with countries like US, UK, EU, Canada and Australia taking steps to suppress terrorism.