World Tamil Movement leader supports Tamil Tigers but denies his group funded them

From the National Post (Tamil leader denies funding terrorist group by Graeme Hamilton, May 18, 2007):

The head of an organization that is suspected of funding the Tamil Tigers terrorist group has testified that he considers the Tigers "freedom fighters" and he supports their "activities that would benefit the people." But he denied that his organization, the World Tamil Movement, has sent money to the Sri Lankan guerillas.

In Quebec Court testimony that concluded yesterday, Kathiravelupillai Sithamparanathan, the 84-year-old president of the World Tamil Movement's Montreal office, acknowledged attending a 2004 workshop in Sri Lanka organized by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, or Tamil Tigers.

[. . .]

The testimony came as the RCMP sought court approval to keep for another year materials seized during an April, 2006, raid on World Tamil Movement offices in Montreal while its investigation continues. The RCMP has alleged in an affidavit that the Montreal organization strong-arms local Tamils to fund the LTTE, which Canada listed as a terrorist organization last year. No charges have been laid yet.

Normally police are able to withhold seized material for up to a year without laying charges, but a judge can approve an extension if the complexity of the investigation warrants it. The World Tamil Movement is contesting the request for an extension. A similar extension was recently granted for a parallel investigation into World Tamil Movement operations in Toronto.

[. . .]

Read all of Graeme Hamilton's article.

The Council on Foreign Relations has posted background material about the Tamil Tigers on its website. Information about the organization can also be found at the South Asia Terrorism Portal.

In March 2006, Human Rights Watch issued a report describing how the Tamil Tigers use "intimidation, extortion and even violence" to raise money for military operations in Sri Lanka. The Tigers also raise money in Australia.

In his book, Cold Terror, National Post reporter Stewart Bell devotes a chapter to Tiger operations in Canada. As described by Bell and the Mackenzie Institute among others, the Tigers were able to establish themselves in Canada by exploiting our dysfunctional refugee system.

See also:

Civil war in Sri Lanka - bought and paid for with Canadian dollars

Project OSALUKI - RCMP investigation of the World Tamil Movement

Banning Tamil Tigers had positive effects but Ottawa and Toronto police should do more - Human Rights Watch