Malin Abeyatunge

Now that the Government of Sri Lanka is trying to do away with Prevention of Terrorism Act and introduce something to similar to USA PATRIOTIC ACT, I reproduce a letter written by me and published in Lankaweb as far back as February 14, 2011. But such act should not be a replacement of PTA but should both be continued concurrently.

USA PATRIOT ACT Vs LTTE Activists in USA

Posted on February 14th, 2011

Malin Abeyatunge

I quote below a recent report in the public domain of Germanys action against LTTE activists in Germany

Quote‚ A spokesman for the LTTE in Germany has been indicted on terrorism charges, Germany’s federal justice authorities said on Monday (7) in Karlsruhe. Agilan W., who now holds German citizenship, was arrested in November and indicted on January 24. Prosecutors said he was spokesman in Germany for the Tamil Coordination Committee, a front for the LTTE, from 2004 to the end of 2009 and oversaw its public relations. Three other leaders of an alleged LTTE front were earlier arrested and indicted, sources in Germany told The Island.

No date was given for the 35-year-old trial on a charge of membership in a foreign terrorist organization and breaching German export laws. That charge relates to his allegedly purchasing equipment worth 370,000 euros ($500,000) from group funds for the LTTE and sending that gear to Sri Lanka, German media reported Unquote.

In contrast to this, albeit USA have prosecuted a few LTTE activists in USA, the big sharks are still thriving at the hospitality of the USA Government. I am referring to Sri Lankan born American Citizen V. Rudrakumaran ‚ (VR)who has been operating from USA soil supporting the LTTE before they were militarily defeated by Sri Lankan Government forces. He was the legal adviser to LTTE and attended the peace talks‚  (LTTEvsGOSL) representing LTTE. He had been a spokesman for LTTE at various talks, seminars. (Germany has indicted a LTTE activists being a spokesman for TRO). His all expenses presumably would have been paid by LTTE who has been collecting money from the Tamil Diaspora willingly, unwillingly, overtly and covertly. But yet, he has escaped to date the long arms of the USA law enforcement authorities and FBI.

Let us examine ‚ how V Rudrakumaran (VR)stands against the various clause’of  USA PATRIOT ACT. Sections of the USA PATRIOT Act‚ make it a crime to provide expert advice or assistance to designated terrorist organizations. Isnt VR trapped in this clause?

In the section of the USA PATRIOT ACT, a few salient sections that may be applicable to LTTE activists like VR are stated below (Googles reference);

TITLE VIII–STRENGTHENING THE CRIMINAL LAWS AGAINST TERRORISM

Sec. 805. Material support for terrorism

Sec. 806. Assets of terrorist organizations

Sec. 809. No statute of limitation for certain terrorism offenses

‘Sec. 811. Penalties for terrorist conspiracies

Sec. 813. Inclusion of acts of terrorism as racketeering activity

VR being‚  an LTTE activist domiciled in USA supporting a banned terrorist outfit in USA financially, morally and logistically, doesnt he qualify for many of the offenses stated in the VIII Title of the USA PATRIOT ACT. But the million dollar question is how he had managed to escape of not being indicted for the offences mentioned above. There is no doubt that VR would have been in the fore front in many LTTE front organizations collecting funds thro dubious fronts like TRO.

Adding insult to injury, he has recently formed another organization called Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) preaching separatism and he himself had got appointed as the Prime Minister of the so-called TGTE. ( I wonder whether Norway domiciled Nediyawan of Tamil Eelam Peoples Assembly would accept VR as PM of the TGTE) .In TGTE manifesto it states that the TGTE endorses and abides by the Vaddukkodai Resolution which implies the youth to take up arms. Prabhakaran started his terror campaign in support of the V-Resolution with a handful of thugs ending as the most brutal terrorist organization in the world according to FBI reports.

We are thankful for the USA Government for having jailed a few LTTE activists in States but they were only the sprats where the Sharks have escaped and living with the generosity and the hospitality of the USA Government. The current TGTE launched in America is another face of LTTE which is a banned terrorist outfit in USA. TGTE continues to carry the LTTE Tiger Flag.  Let us hope that USA follow suit of Germany’s recent action and apply the USA PATRIOT ACT to the last letter to bring LTTE terrorist activists to justice who are masquerading as decent democrats but still attempting to divide Sri Lanka into ethnic enclaves by other means.

Malin Abeyatunge