The future of the LTTE in France will depend on the verdict on the case against 22 top leaders of the movement which is scheduled for November 23.
The French prosecutors have demanded 7- year prison terms for the defendants accused on charges of extortion, ransom collection under duress and threat, money laundering and funding a terrorist organization. The top Tiger leaders including Nadarajah mathithiran alias Parithi, Sinnathambi Suthakaran alias Sutha, Starlin Sarvarimuthu alias Ranjan and Jesudasan Paul Newman alias Kadeer.
“They collected funds for the LTTE during the period 2001 to 2005 during which there was an agreement between the LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran and the then Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe,” most eminent French lawyers hired by the LTTE told the 3-Member Judiciary Bench. “Hence, they cannot be guilty of terrorism charges,” they argued.
The case, which was filed after two years of investigations concluded last month. The first 14 LTTE cadres were arrested on April 01, 2007 and others were apprehended nearly six months later. The charges against most of the accused include “participation in a formed group or established agreement set up for the preparation of terrorist acts as stated in Article 421-1 of the French Penal code (the Article 421-1 is attached as the annex ‘A’). Financing a terrorist enterprise by supplying, gathering, collecting funds, assets and goods or giving advice intended to be used in all or in part for terrorist actions. Raising of funds for the benefit of a terrorist organization and obtaining funds through violence, under duress and threat.
The French police have also charged that the group which was under the direct orders of the head of the French branch of the LTTE (CCTF), Nadarajah Mathinthiran alias Parithi for acts of violence against those opposed to the LTTE.
Leading French lawyers who represented the LTTE cadres tried to have the case thrown out at the beginning on the basis that the LTTE was not illegal in Sri Lanka when the accused were arrested, stating that Sri Lanka banned the LTTE only in January 2009, and that therefore the ‘terrorist’ charge is null and void. There main point of argument was that the Sri Lankan Government headed by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had granted legal status to the LTTE by signing the pact in February 2007.
However, the Prosecutor pointed out that that there were numerous instances where the terrorist nature of the LTTE was evident. Those included crimes against international law, suicide attacks against civilians and political personalities and coercion, intimidation and violence for fund collection during the period in which the SLG-LTTE Agreement was in force, and “therefore the terrorist charge was absolutely appropriate”. It was also reminded that when the accused were arrested the LTTE was a banned terrorist organization by the European Union.
The Defence list of witnesses included Mrs Karen Parker of USA, Mr Jean Marie Julia (France) and some of the municipal councillors of Tamil origin who were elected in the local elections of March 2008.
The Presiding Judge’s summing up of the case before the questioning of the accused, stated that the case was initiated in 2006 when police officers took interest in LTTE organization, an organization which would have set up a network of money extortion involving Tamils.
They operated under cover of the CCTF, association located at Rue de Pyrénées, 75020 Paris. This association was established in 1987, as an organization purported to “preserve and spread cultural, sociological links and preservation of Tamil customs and beliefs in France, welcoming and support of Tamils living in France, promotion through cultural and sports clubs.”
According to declarations for registration given on 20/02/2006 at Paris Police (Prefecture), the CCTF organization has 1 President – “Sivaramalingam” – 1 vice-President, 1 treasurer, 1 deputy treasurer and 2 secretaries. However, investigations proved the president was only a collector on the city of Chelles. Directors changed often. Some of the defendants present in this Court were themselves president or member of the committee. The association holds two bank accounts.
Nadaraja Mathinthiran alias Parithi was identified as an LTTE cadre, using the alias Regan, and had also lived in India according to intelligence. Since November 2003 he was the leader of the French wing of the LTTE and manager of CCTF. He has worked with Manivannan alias Castro the international secretary of the LTTE.
In December 2003 Mathinthiran introduced himself as an accountant of the CCTF when a search was organized by the police on complaints received against the CCTF.
Another accused, Thuraisami Jeyamoorthy alias Sinna Yeya was identified as the financial manager of the French wing of the LTTE. He was in charge of coordinating money collection and funds transfer as well as coordination of sports activities, during which new cadres were recruited and sent to the combat zones, in close liaison with international Secretary of the LTTE.
Presiding judge summarized that judicial inquiry opened in July 2006 on alleged criminal acts including financing of terrorist enterprise and money extortion with the aim of disturbing public order through intimidation and terror. Investigations showed Tamil diaspora was subject to imposed money collection. Subsequently most of the defendants were arrested on 01st and 02nd April 2007. Immediately police action was taken against the directors of the organization, who were then in charge of departmental collections, owner of the LTTE-controlled shop, ‘Makkal Kadai’ which was the main centre for money collection and Sathiaruban’s alias Sathia who headed the ‘Team of Intimidators’ which was in charge of physical violence against persons not paying.
The defendants, while accepting the role they played within the CCTF which they describe as a sports and cultural association, have denied their membership of the LTTE. However, they did not deny that they supported the LTTE cause as ‘all Tamil people did’. They also admitted that money was collected ‘to help the Tamil people’ and acknowledged that funds were sent to the LTTE administration. However they all deny any knowledge of the purpose for which the money was used, stating that the LTTE ran a separate administrative structure with schools, hospitals, etc and they didn’t question the purpose for which the money was used.
However, the prosecutors have submitted many documents and transcripts of telephone conversations to prove their links with LTTE and sufficient evidence to prove that the defendants were directly involved in fund raising for a banned terrorist organization and they had resorted to violence against the Tamil civilians who had refused to pay. After summarizing, the Presiding Judge announced that the verdict would be declared on November 23, 2009.
Sugeeswara Senadhira - Former Minister Counsellor Sri Lankan Embassy in France. He also served as Counsellor in Oslo and New Delhi.
- Asian Tribune -
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