Five ethnic Tamil men have been given prison sentences of up to six years by the district court in The Hague. They were found guilty of helping to finance the Tamil Tigers (LTTE) movement with millions of euros, as part of their battle for an independent homeland in Sri Lanka.
Criminal not terrorist
At the heart of the case was the issue of whether the LTTE is a criminal or terrorist organisation, as the prosecuors argued. Despite the fact that the Tamil Tigers are on the EU blacklist of terrorist groups, the court concluded that the Sri Lankan conflict is actually a civil war.
The public prosecutor voiced dismay at the verdict's conclusion that the LTTE is not a terrorist but a criminal organisation.
Viktor Koppe, a lawyer for one of the defendants, announced he would appeal against the verdict, saying it is full of contradictions.
In tears
The court was packed with Tamil supporters as the three judges read out the verdict. Family members left the courtroom in tears.
Prosecutors had accused the five men, all of whom now have Dutch citizenship, of raising funds for the LTTE Tamil Tigers separatist group by using blackmail and other threat to extort money from members of the Sri Lankan disapora in the Netherlands.
Other charges?
Prosecutors had demanded sentences of up to 20 years for alleged money laundering and incitement to violence. They charged the five with operating an international criminal and terrorist organisation which engaged in arson, bombings and murder. All five had leading roles in the Dutch branch of the LTTE.
On Friday the court convicted the men of raising funds for a criminal organisation whilst they knew the LTTE is on the EU blacklist of terrorist groups. The court ruled that they had violated a Dutch law prohibiting the support of banned organisations. The men were also found guilty of runnng illegal lotteries, which they used to raise money.
(ld/cl/tf)
© Radio Netherlands Worldwide
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Thank You Dutch. Great work! A big than you from all Sri Lankans
It is not surprising concerning the Court definition about the Tigers, as did an earlier Supreme Court ruling in New Zealand. However there can be no doubt about the nature of the Sri Lanka racist genocidal state, by far the worst in world history about which they can be ashamed of. The truth will be outed when the UN sponsored Tribunal investigates the worst war crime in history against fellow citizens just because of language, race and religion! And then brazenly lies through all its teeth!
Tamil terrorist tongues are made to lie! Tamil terrorists committed the worse genocide in the history of mankind by murdering over 1,000,000 innocent Sinhalese by blowing up daily suicide bombs in Colombo and now shedding crocodile tears on behalf of the worse terrorist organization the LTTE the world ever saw!
It is shocking and disgusting that war criminal terrorists Suren Surendiran, Father SJ Emannuel, David Poopalapillai etc are living happily hiding in the West after they aided and abetted LTTE terrorist genocide of Sinhalese! These Tamil terrorists just mentioned assisted in suicide bombing which caused the murder of over 1,000,000 innocent Sinhalese. Please hand these 3 to Sri Lanka asap!
Now most tamil people afraid, they need asylum, last 30 years they gave statements agings to sri lankan government, but now what can say? many country's know about LTTE real face. many LTTE leaders also now joint with the government. ealam dream is over, but some few tigers need to rich life and racing money by innocent tamil people. USA Canada UK and Europe people not a mad.
The court should have invited experts on the ethnic conflict (not a civil war) to explain the judges who are not well verse with the situation. It is a shame, that the Dutch court has acted poorly. Jagath Dias killed more than 40,000 people and the German govt. tolerated him as a deputy ambassorder, besides being the the ambassorder for Switzerland and the vatican. The case has to be reviewed and re-evaluated. We are disappointed with the Dutch govt. Finally Holland is showing it's true face. The actual war criminals are running around winning and dinning. It is pathetic what is happeneing has happened in Holland.
Sinhala people have a bad attitude of supressing minorities, they for 60 years supressed the tamil minority and it created LTTE, Rajapaksha brothers should be killed like their best friend Gaddafi and it will happen soon. Sinhala will pay a very heavy price soon. LTTE kept all sinhalas mouth and ass shut, Next tamil liberation organisation will be much bigger than the LTTE and they will handle the sittuation very well, hope for the best.
wow tiger do you have any plane for ealam? Its dream.
The court accepted the fact that LTTE is not a Terrorist Organisation , but LTTE should not do illegal work after the ban by EU. No one can deny the fact that Sri Lankan forces are the world worst State Terrorists on earth and is well documented internationally. Sinhalese should be ashamed themselves after the UN reports and killing field. I am so scared whenever I see the Buddha Statue even after 30 years and it became symbol of Sinhalese Terror. Nobel Prize should be awarded for Sri Lanka for human killing champions who killed 100,000 in three months.
The court accepted the fact that LTTE is not a Terrorist Organisation , but LTTE should not do illegal work after the ban by EU. No one can deny the fact that Sri Lankan forces are the world worst Sate Terrorists on earth and is well documented internationally. Sinhalese should be ashamed themselves after the UN reports and killing field.
the fact that the court is not considering the LTTE a terrorist organization proves beyond doubt the complicity of the dutch government (not the law enforcement authorities) in aiding terrorist groups in Sri Lanka. The Netherlands can therefore be categorized as a state sponsor of terror.
Not enough at all.. They are number one terrorist in the world..
Watch this Video that is the proof of the Sri Lanka State terrorism and make your own conclusion.
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/sri-lankas-killing-fields/4od
Of course channel 4 is parroting our big fat lies! Channel 4 is not at all global. A load of trash is muttered by channel 4 to satisfy the eelam donkeys! LOL
Look at the list of the organisations they use. Exclusive to Tamils. Where ever in the world, Tamils opt to get isolated and live in ghettos while brain washing the next generation in to violence. This is height of the inferiority complex.
When we will stop this and integrate to the societies we live in? Is that such a bad idea that I should get beaten up for saying it?
The reality is, none of us in Europe / Americas will ever return to Sri Lanka. But for psychological reasons we want poor Tamils in Sri Lanka to fight the Army and get killed. we never collected money to develop the lives of tamils there but only to buy weapons.
Here is a video proof of what our government (Exclusively Sinhalese) troops have been doing to the Tamil population.
If they fight back, we all will call them terrorists. We the Sinhalese are saints.
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/sri-lankas-killing-fields/4od
THE MOST RUTHLESSS TERRORISTS IN THE WORLD?
As terrorist groups go, it has quite a résumé:
Perfected the use of suicide bombers;
Invented the suicide belt;
Pioneered the use of women in suicide attacks;
Murdered some 4,000 people in the past two years alone; and
Assassinated two world leaders—the only terrorist organization to do so.
No, it’s not al Qaeda or Hezbollah or even HAMAS. The group is called the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) or the Tamil Tigers for short.
http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2008/january/tamil_tigers011008
Good news from the Netherlands. But punishment is too soft. I wonder how many years would a Dutch court give to a Al Quaeda terrorist with similar chargerges. Victor Koppe perhaps bribed the judge to reduce from 20 years to 6 years jail term. They all deserve 20 years. These terrorists directly linked to LTTE who sent suicide bombers to blow off jam-packed trains, buses and building ( LTTE is the most ruthless terrorist orgnization according to FBI http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2008/january/tamil_tigers011008). I think justice should be given equally to all terrorists.
Other EU countries like UK should follow this.
Here is a video proof of what our government (Exclusively Sinhalese) troops have been doing to the Tamil population. And we are the masters of hiding it under the carpet.
If they fight back, we all will call them terrorists. We the Sinhalese are saints.
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/sri-lankas-killing-fields/4od
Is there no law to stop the terrorist activities of the Sri Lankan state whose armed forces that terrorise the minorities are from the mono-ethnic majority community? This EU ban on LTTE was instigated by the previous US administration which was blinded after the Al-Queida unprovoked attack on the twin towers causing mayhem. After the LTTE was defeated the Sri Lankan state deployed its army and police to enslave Tamils without anyone to stop them. When the EU Court of Human rights analyse the horrors that take place in Tamil areas the international community will realise its fault and feel ashamed.
"Taking the Sri Lankan Army to court for war crimes".Go to hell men! We in Sri Lanka know and have seen all what the western countries have done. That video by channel 4 is forged. Everybody in Sri Lanka knows that.
LTTE are the only terrorist in Sri Lanka and Sri Lanka is now totally free of terror and that is your problem at the moment.
Well done Netherland! Smart move. Do not play in to the hands of the terrorists like UK and Canda. Real British and Canadians will feel the pinch not now, Wait another decade and see what the LTTE will ask from them or may be take from them. unfortunately the todays politicians in UK, Canada may get the votes and any financial help possible from LTTE, But todays young will have pay for the mistakes of their today's leaders and cash loving media and HR organisations.
what about all the new shops that LTTE friends started buying in LONDON just after the war was over in Sri Lanka, who's money that was from ? this is what the UK Government should be investigating, just like the Dutch friends of LTTE, there are rows and rows of shops bought in London road, Thornton Heath and all over around about London and the subberbs, i know there are tamil women that has been given a car for collecting of money for this purpose for the LTTE.
Please note that defeating LTTE terrorist genocidal maniacs who pioneered suicide bombings is not a crime at all! LTTE terrorists are war mongers who never wanted peace. Today there is peace in Sri Lanka and therefore, the LTTE terrorists are very angry and frustrated about it.
I respect DEMALA HUTHTHA but not Eelam.
Sinhala ............You don't seem to know how to identify your self as much as you seem to know some English. Learn from somebody how one should address issues on pubic fora before you press a few keys on your key board.
Hey Tamil you have no identity nor state as you are a stateless . You cant accept the unspeakable truth which is nothing but LTTE TERRORIST GENOCIDE OF SINHALESE FOR THE PAST 60 YEARS WHICH KILLED OVER 1,000,0000 INNOCENT SINHALESE!
ha.. ha.. ha..cool cool tiger? now over ealam dream.
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