mithridates
Joined: 03 Mar 2003
Location: President's office, Korean Space Agency
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 Posted: Sat Apr 08, 2006 9:10 pm Post subject: Tamil Tigers to be placed on Canadian terror list |
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Is this good or bad? I don't know much about them.
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Tories to place Tamil Tigers on terror list
Updated Sat. Apr. 8 2006 11:36 PM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
The Conservative government has added the Tamil Tigers to its list of outlawed terrorist organizations, CTV News has confirmed.
The separatist Sri Lankan group is the first organization banned by the Conservatives, but the 39th group outlawed under Canada's Anti-Terrorism Act. An official announcement is expected Monday.
The designation means it is a criminal offence to participate in the activities of the Tigers, with a punishment of up to 10 years in prison.
A recommendation from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) helped drive the decision.
The United States and Britain placed the Tigers on their terror list a long time ago.
The Tigers have been linked to more than 160 suicide bombings, which have targeted buses, trains and office buildings.
The organization, also known as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, or LTTE, has been fighting for a separate Sri Lankan state for more than 20 years against the Sinhalese-dominated government.
Last month, the independent non-government group Human Rights Watch reported Canada's large Tamil population is being aggressively pursued and extorted by Tamil Tiger agents raising money for attacks in their homeland.
Intimidating bagmen go door to door pressuring the Tamil population of 250,000 to lend money, re-mortgage their homes or even skip meals, the group reported.
Groups like the Canadian Tamil Congress said they had no reports of such shakedowns.
The former Liberal government barred Tamil Tigers from raising cash in Canada as part of anti-terrorism efforts after Sept. 11, but did not take the step of outlawing membership in the organization.
Donations from Canada and other nations are an important source of funding for the Tigers. A 2000 report by CSIS estimated the group raises between $1 and $2 million in Canada each year
Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day is said to have spearheaded the move by the Conservatives. While in opposition, Day repeatedly condemned the Liberals for not outlawing the Tigers.
The Conservatives promised during the election to add the group to Canada's banned list.
Last week, the government severed ties with the Palestinian Authority over the refusal of Hamas to change its platform. |
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