A 41 year old Sri Lankan Tamil has been charged with multiple terrorism charges over alleged links with the internationally banned LTTE, which has been named by many countries as a terrorist organization.
The suspect is identified as Rajeevan, a frontline sympathizer of the LTTE, based in Sydney. He was arrested this morning (July 10) as part of an ongoing investigation by Australian Federal Police (AFP).
It is reported that among the matters investigation about him was suspected fraud in the handling of funds raised among Australian citizens for Tsunami relief to Sri Lanka, which had been diverted for the LTTE's own purposes, to fund its terrorist activities in Sri Lanka.
He is due to appear at Sydney's Central Local Court and is expected to be extradited to Victoria at a later date. He has been charged with being a member of a terrorist organization, providing support or resources to a terrorist organization and making an asset available to a proscribed entity.
The charges carry maximum prison terms of 10, 25 and five years respectively, if convicted.
AFP Commissioner Mick Keelty said the joint terrorism team from Victoria Police and the AFP arrested Rajeevan. "He 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 (LTTE) terrorist group," Mr. Keelty has said on Southern Cross radio.
"The counter-terrorism team will be seeking his extradition to Melbourne."
The charges related to fundraising after the devastating 2004 Boxing Day tsunami which crippled communities throughout southern Asia. "This is to do with fundraising activities that occurred after the tsunami; as you might recall and that money was channeled into the LTTE in Sri Lanka," Mr. Keelty said.
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