France cracks down on Tamil Tiger financing

Reported asSeventeen suspected LTTE members detained in France:

Seventeen suspected LTTE members were detained Sunday in Paris during an investigation into terrorist financing activities, sources close to the case said.

Police made the arrests under the direction of anti-terrorist judge Jean-Louis Bruguiere, the sources said.
ast year.

Those detained are suspected of having raised six million euros (eight million dollars) in France last year.

Families were required to send 2,000 euros (2,700 dollars) per year to the organisation, and merchants had to pay up to 6,000 euros, sources said. Those who did not pay were threatened or detained, they said.

Those in charge of raising the money were allowed to keep 20 percent as payment, the sources said.

The Tamil community in France includes about 70,000 people.

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In the meantime, many traders, businessmen and shopkeepers were interviewed by many French TV news channels and almost all of them have accepted that they have helped a banned terrorist organization, LTTE by giving them money voluntarily. A few French news commentators have noted that the voluntarily money contributions to terrorists' organization, as a serious seditious crime committed against France and also as an act of aiding and abetting terrorists activities in French soil .

Magistrate Jean-Louis BruguiŠre who investigates against the LTTE terrorists activities in France was recently in Sri Lanka and met Sri Lanka's political leaders and heads intelligence agencies.

According to the "Asian Tribune" reports, Magistrate Jean-Louis BruguiŠre ordered the SDAT agents to launch the crack down on the LTTE's terrorists' activities.

Quoting legal sources the "Asian Tribune" stated that if in case France Government decided to file actions against all those who are arrested, each of them may receive a minimum 15 years rigorous imprisonment.

There were allegations that Tigers in France were involved in the murder of Sabalingham, an EPRLF member and one of the founder members of the students organization in Jaffna in the 70s along witth Saththyaseelan and others.

Also it was suspected that LTTE was involved in the killing of Kandiah Perinpanathan formerly the LTTE's tereasurer and Kajan of the Eelamurasu. It was suspected that these two were killed in Paris because of difference of opinion within the outfit.