Dutch Tamils arrested for illegal LTTE fundraising
May 18, 2011 07:33 am
Tamils in the Netherlands have been forced to donate money to the LTTE, to pay for its war against Sri Lanka’s government army. Dutch court authorities say the Tigers held these people in ‘a stranglehold’, forcing them to pay a ‘war tax’.
The investigation has been going on for two years. Several people have been arrested, including the alleged leader of the Dutch branch of the Tigers.
Reprisals
Court documents, published by Dutch newspaper NRC Handelsblad, say that the Tamil Tigers systematically extorted large sums of money from Dutch Tamils. If they refused, they were threatened with reprisals.
Tens of thousands of Tamils live in the Netherlands. The majority came to the country after the Tamil separatist war broke out in the mid-1980’s. The Tamil Tigers have been listed as a terrorist organisation in EU-countries such as the Netherlands since 2006.
The Netherlands is not the first European country where Tamils have been arrested for money laundering and extortion. Last year, Tamils in Switzerland and the UK were arrested for the same reason. While the Dutch Tamils are still awaiting trial, in the UK and Switzerland several people have already been convicted, Dutch Media reports.
The investigation has been going on for two years. Several people have been arrested, including the alleged leader of the Dutch branch of the Tigers.
Reprisals
Court documents, published by Dutch newspaper NRC Handelsblad, say that the Tamil Tigers systematically extorted large sums of money from Dutch Tamils. If they refused, they were threatened with reprisals.
Tens of thousands of Tamils live in the Netherlands. The majority came to the country after the Tamil separatist war broke out in the mid-1980’s. The Tamil Tigers have been listed as a terrorist organisation in EU-countries such as the Netherlands since 2006.
The Netherlands is not the first European country where Tamils have been arrested for money laundering and extortion. Last year, Tamils in Switzerland and the UK were arrested for the same reason. While the Dutch Tamils are still awaiting trial, in the UK and Switzerland several people have already been convicted, Dutch Media reports.