'LTTE as an International Threat'

In the recent past, there have been many instances in which cadres of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) or their front organizations have been arrested or sentenced to prison for a variety of subversive activity across the world. Some of the major incidents involving the LTTE outside Sri Lanka include:

2007

May 17:

Maldives coast guard opened fire on and sank a small vessel carrying suspected LTTE cadres after a 12-hour standoff at sea in southern territorial waters of Maldives. According to reports, four of the nine-member crew were killed, four others were arrested and one surrendered. Reports said that the vessel, which started off as a deep sea fishing trawler, was hijacked by the LTTE to do some gun-running for it. The boat was carrying guns and mortar bombs.

In a Quebec Court testimony that concluded on May 17, Kathiravelupillai Sithamparanathan, President of the World Tamil Movement's Montreal office, an organization that is suspected of funding the LTTE, has testified that he considers the LTTE as freedom fighters and he supports their activities that would benefit the people. But he denied that his organization has sent money to the outfit. He, however, acknowledged attending a 2004 workshop in Sri Lanka organized by the outfit. Asked about his view of LTTE chief Prabhakaran, he called him a freedom fighter who is organizing a struggle to win the rights of the people in Sri Lanka. Asked whether the World Tamil Movement supports the LTTE, he replied: "Actions that would benefit people, the right actions, yes."

May 16: A London Court was told that Senthuraj Thavapalasingham alias "Psycho" of Romford is the enforcer leading a gang of LTTE extortionists called "East Side Boys". Newham Council and Metropolitan Police told Stratford Magistrates Court that this gang has been working in Newham for two years. Chief Inspector Derrick Griffiths said, "To my knowledge there are around five Tamil gangs operating in London. This is a gang of about 30 young men aged between 15 and 32 who are paid by an organization called the LTTE. They were paid to extort money from local businessmen and residents. Their victims were paying anywhere between Pounds 5,000 and 25,000 a year. In one case a businessman was paying 25,000 a year for four years."

May 10: Thirunavukarasu Varatharasa, a Sri Lankan citizen, pleaded guilty in a US court to conspiracy to provide material support to the LTTE and attempted export of arms and ammunition. According to the plea agreement, from April to September 29, 2006, Varatharasa conspired with Haji Subandi, Haniffa Osman and Erick Wotulo to export state-of-the-art firearms, machine guns and ammunition, surface to air missiles, night vision goggles and other military weapons to the LTTE.