BRIAN ROSS REPORTS
- Like Jay-Z + the Beatles, But Worse
- Update: Help for Homeless Children
- Bush Era, Revised -- and with More Barbeque
- The Tax Woman Cometh
- Paging Mr. Stanford: Antigua Called
- Who Are You Calling Partisan?
- Update: IRS Won't Use Private Debt Collectors
- But Is It Art?
- PMA Scandal a Sore Point for Dems in 2010?
- Down in Flames
- A New Mystery for RNC Chief
- PMA Clients Were Big Givers
- Raided Lobby Firm Still a Force on Capitol Hill
- Stanford Update: Another $143 Mil Found
- Cheney, Hooked on Controversy
TOP BLOTTER CATEGORIES
- Abramoff Lobbying Scandal
- American Al Qaeda
- Avian Flu
- Beirut Hospital Out of Gas
- Cheney
- CIA
- CIA Secret Prisons
- D.C. Madam Affair
- FBI
- Federal Air Marshal Service
- Homeland Security
- Hurricane Katrina
- IRS
- Mark Foley Internet Scandal
- Millionaire Sex Scandal
- Nigerian E-mail Scams
- Norman Hsu, Clinton Fundraiser
- NSA: Wiretapping
- Osama bin Laden
- Payola
- Pharmacy Investigation
- PMA
- Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert
- Stanford
- Steele
- Terror
- Troopergate
- U.K. Airline Terror Plot
- U.K. Bombing Attempts
- Wen Ho Lee
- William Jefferson
- Zarqawi
« Previous | Main | Next »
Alleged Terror Leader Arrested In Queens
Email
Print
ShareApril 25, 2007 3:34 PM
A senior leader of the Sri Lankan terrorist group Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) was arrested Wednesday in Queens, New York, where he had been quietly living for the past several years while funneling money to fund an ongoing guerrilla war that has claimed over 62,000 lives, federal prosecutors said.
A federal complaint unsealed Wednesday identified Karunakaran Kandasamy as the head of the United States branch of the Tamil Tigers and alleged that he had orchestrated hundreds of thousands of dollars in financial and logistical support for the group.
"Financial backing, assistance with logistics, and other forms of material support have a direct bearing on the viability of a terrorist organization's lethal objectives. Karuna hasn't merely supported the Tamil Tigers' cause, he orchestrated U.S. support. We can no sooner allow terrorists to raise funds here than we would allow them to carry out acts of terrorism here," Mark Mershon, the assistant director in charge of the FBI New York field office said in a statement.
Since 1976 the group has used guerrilla tactics and suicide bombings to kill numerous Sri Lankan and Indian cabinet officials, ministers, defense officials and local politicians. On May 21, 1991, India's Prime Minister, Rajiv Ghandi, was assassinated by a female Tamil Tiger who approached him during a campaign stop posing as a well-wisher bearing a basket of flowers. She then blew herself up as she knelt before him. It was one of the first recorded instances of a female suicide bomber.
"For years the LTTE has covertly operated within the United States drawing on America's financial resources and technological advances to further its war of terror in Sri Lanka and elsewhere," United States Attorney Roslynn R. Mauskopf said in a written statement. "We refuse to allow this to continue."
Click Here for Full Blotter Coverage.
The 32-page federal complaint states that since 1997 Kandasamy, also known as "Karuna," raised money, arranged meetings between Sri Lankan Tamil Tiger leaders and U.S. financial backers and smuggled technology into LTTE-controlled areas. The LTTE has been listed as a terrorist organization by the United States Department of State since 1997.
"The LTTE relies on sympathetic Tamil expatriates residing in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, France and several other countries to raise and launder money; smuggle arms, explosive, equipment and technology...obtain intelligence...and spread propaganda...Karuna is the head of the American branch of the LTTE," the complaint states.
April 25, 2007 | Permalink | User Comments (10)
You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.
There is a more sinister side. There is widespread credit card fraud becoming apparent which is used to fund the Tamil's war in Sri Lanka. Whilst this still continues and there is a steady stream of funds there will be no peace in Sri lanka.
Posted by: Chris | Apr 25, 2007 7:08:01 PM
An underlying truth to this story is that many have turned a blind eye to the group, a deaf ear to the calls for action & think to the borders of their birth. We can not change this. However we can educate those who are open to wisdom and spirit. We learn much through others and balancing this
with leadership and guidelines we
can corral those who do harm.
D. Flemman, yyc, Ca
Posted by: dawn flemman | Apr 25, 2007 7:42:34 PM
Please explain the Tamil Tigers; Are they Hindu? Are they Sunni Muslim or Shia Muslim? The biggest crooks are the elderly Chinese who come to America, supposedly supported by their successful Asian-American children. But, the elderly soon go on the federal dole known as "SSI". That's a big scandal that Brian Ross should look into.
Posted by: Social Security Office employee | Apr 25, 2007 9:54:13 PM
The Tamil Tigers are big furry wild cats with big teeth who used to live in the jungles of Sri Lanka, but decided they would rather come into the towns and kick people out of their homes, where they would eat all the food and poop all over the place until the food ran out. Then the Tigers (which average 750 pounds) would just go to the next house and attack the people there. They cause ALOT of damage to property and livestock.
Next time you're at the zoo, ask to see the Tamil Tiger exhibition (if your city is lucky enough to have a Tamil Tiger exhibit). They're awesome cats - orange and black fur...huge whiskers and big black eyes. They're even more fierce than the better-known Bengal Tigers.
If you ever come across one in the wild, just say a prayer and then get outta there...
Posted by: Jazz | Apr 25, 2007 10:18:53 PM
America's all about Money
Money Funds Wars
We do not Support Terrorists
Posted by: JelloBiafra | Apr 26, 2007 11:21:54 AM
money funds peace, too....
Posted by: Jazz | Apr 26, 2007 12:05:13 PM
PARDON???? Did i hear jellobiafra right??? Please stop, I am rolling in the aisle... So the IRA werent terrorists???? Or the actions of the US in Guatamala werent terrorist in nature??? Strange, according to the International Court of Justice they were.
Or, once again... If no US citizens die, its not terrorism???
Nice to know the right are so well versed in the history of their own country.
Posted by: runningdog | Apr 27, 2007 3:20:09 AM
Absolutely right dog
I'm all too familiar with the CIA atrocities in Guatemala. It's common knowledge down there.
You obviously missed my sarcasm
I was simply repeating our beloved mantras...
Posted by: JelloBiafra | Apr 27, 2007 11:41:03 AM
Fighting against the terror is the way to prosper.... As we stand against the influences of the devils, we should always dress with the armor of God... I mean that with God every things will be possible...
Posted by: Daniel Jack | May 3, 2007 4:22:16 AM
How 'bout them Phillies!!!!!
Posted by: speedracer | Nov 3, 2008 8:58:43 AM
Post a comment
