CNN and others are reporting that Canadians were among those charged today with conspiring to aid Tamil Tiger terrorists.
The Canadian Security Intelligence Service said in 2000 that at least eight non-profit groups and five companies were operating in Canada as fronts for the Tamil Tigers. But the Liberals didn’t care about that. Under the Chretien/Martin liberals, Canada refused to recognize the Tamil Tigers as terrorists. In fact in 2001, then Finance Minister Paul Martin attended a Tamil Tiger-related fund-raiser, against the advise of Canadian security, diplomatic, and political advisors.
Under the new Stephen Harper Conservative government in Canada, the terrorist group was quickly, finally, declared a terrorist group in Canada, bringing Canada into line with common sense.
(Today, as if high on crack, several liberals demanded that the Harper government remove Hezbollah from the official terrorist list, enabling them to rebuild more easily.)
U.S. charges 8 over ‘Tiger plot’
Group tried to buy missiles, bribe officials, prosecutors say
Monday, August 21, 2006; Posted: 9:11 p.m. EDT (01:11 GMT)
NEW YORK (CNN)—Eight men have been charged with plotting to buy surface-to-air missiles for Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tiger rebels, U.S. federal prosecutors have announced.
The men also are accused of plotting to bribe U.S. State Department officials into removing the Tamil Tiger group from a list of terrorist organizations and of trying to obtain classified information.
All eight are charged with conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office in New York.
Prosecutors said the men were “closely connected” to the Tamil Tiger leadership, but disclosed little else about the suspects.
According to prosecutors, the men conspired to buy surface-to-air missiles from a black-market source in the United States. They also sought to have the group—formally known as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam—removed from the U.S. list of terrorist organizations and obtain classified intelligence by bribing State Department officials.
“As charged for more than 15 years, the LTTE has waged a war of terror, assassinations, and suicide bombings in Sri Lanka and elsewhere,” Roslyn Mauskopf, the U.S. attorney in Brooklyn, said in a statement announcing the charges. “We refuse to allow the LTTE and its supporters to use the United States as a source of supply for weapons, technology, and financial resources.”
The group was made up of Canadian and Sri Lankan nationals, and only one was living in the United States, said Bob Nardoza, a spokesman for Mauskopf’s office. The investigation was still going on, and more arrests were expected, Nardoza said.
[…] Three of the defendants traveled to New York from Canada last week in an attempt to purchase hand-held anti-aircraft missiles from an undercover FBI agent, prosecutors said.
[…] According to prosecutors, the men conspired to buy surface-to-air missiles from a black-market source in the United States. They also sought to have the group—formally known as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam—removed from the U.S. list of terrorist organizations and obtain classified intelligence by bribing State Department officials.
I liked this part:
One of the defendants’ name is Nachimuthu Socrates. His son, who raced to his defence today, is named Aristotle.
Here’s a couple of quotes from Socrates:
** “Death may be the greatest of all human blessings.”
and
** “The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance.”
Here’s a couple from Aristotle:
** “A tyrant must put on the appearance of uncommon devotion to religion. Subjects are less apprehensive of illegal treatment from a ruler whom they consider god-fearing and pious. On the other hand, they do less easily move against him, believing that he has the gods on his side.”
** “In a democracy the poor will have more power than the rich, because there are more of them, and the will of the majority is supreme.”
Here’s a quote from “Aristotle Socrates”:
** He told CNN that the charges were “absurd,” that his father was innocent and that he would be contesting the charges.
Other reading:
** Eight Tamil Tigers supporters, including 3 Canadians, accused of terror support
** April 18 PTBC column by Paul Jackson: Right-side-up
PTBC was founded by Mr. Johannesen in 2000.
Contact Mr. Johannesen about this article using this form. Please refer to article's title.
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