Canadian court upholds LTTE fundraising sentence
March 22, 2011 08:11 am
British Columbia’s highest court has rejected the Crown’s bid to overturn a six-month sentence given to a Vaughan man convicted of terrorist fund-raising. Prapaharan “Prapa” Thambithurai, 47, of Maple, was convicted and sentenced in B.C. in May for providing financial services, knowing they would benefit terrorist group known as the Tamil Tigers.
Mr. Thambithurai, was born and raised in Sri Lanka,
pleaded guilty to the charge in what became Canada’s first successful
prosecution of knowingly raising funds for the Tamil Tigers.
In a 3-0 ruling released today, the B.C. Court of
Appeal rejected the Crown’s appeal, ruling the six-month sentence fit the
crime.
The facts and Mr. Thambithurai’s personal
circumstances were properly considered during his trial, the B.C. appeals court
said in its ruling.
Only weeks after the sentence was handed down, the
federal government said it would appeal, claiming the sentence was “inappropriate
and inadequate”.
During the criminal case, the Crown argued Mr.
Thambithurai should be sentenced to two years.
The charge carries a maximum 10-year sentence.
But Mr. Thambithurai was ordered to serve a sentence
that would ordinarily be viewed as a harsh penalty for a first offender, the
B.C. appeals court ruled.
Mr. Thambithurai’s conviction will have long-lasting
effects, as it will interfere with his ability to travel beyond Canada, the
ruling states.
Mr. Thambithurai has been freed after serving his
sentence. Mr. Thambithurai went to a home in Burnaby, B.C. March 13, 2008 and
asked a man to contribute money for humanitarian aid to help the Tamil people
in Sri Lanka, according to a statement of facts from the criminal case, The man
gave Mr. Thambithurai $600 cash, for which a receipt was issued.
That same day, Mr. Thambithurai requested money from
another man in Burnaby and received a $300 pledge, but no cash, according to
the statement of facts.
Mr. Thambithurai was later arrested.
Mr. Thambithurai admitted to police he travelled to
B.C. to collect money for residents of Sri Lanka.
The money was intended for the World Tamil Movement,
Mr. Thambithurai told police.
Ottawa considers the Tamil Tigers and the World
Tamil Movement terrorist groups.
Mr. Thambithurai arranged to have the money picked
up at his Maple home, he told police.
As much as half of the money raised would end up in
the hands of the Tamil Tigers, Mr. Thambithurai admitted.
Mr. Thambithurai has never been a member of Tamil
Tigers, his lawyer said.
Mr. Thambithurai came to Canada in 1988 as refugee,
settling in the Toronto area. He and his wife moved to Vancouver in 1991 and
stayed until 2004, Canadian media reports.