A western Sydney man is the third person to be arrested in Australia over links to an alleged terrorist organisation, Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tigers.
Arumugam Rajeevan, 40, was arrested in Sydney on Tuesday morning and will be extradited to Victoria following a joint investigation between the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Victoria Police.
The incident follows the appearance in Melbourne courts in May of two men who are being held on terrorism charges.
Rajeevan has been charged with being a member of a terrorist organisation, providing support or resources to a terrorist organisation and making funds available to a proscribed entity.
If proven, the charges attract maximum prison terms of 10, 25 and five years respectively.
AFP Commissioner Mick Keelty earlier said the charges related to fundraising after the devastating 2004 Boxing Day tsunami, which crippled communities throughout southern Asia.
“He was charged in connection with two earlier arrests in May this year to do with raising money for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, the (LTTE) terrorist group,” Mr Keelty told Southern Cross Radio.
“This is to do with fundraising activities that occurred after the tsunami as you might recall and that money was channelled into the LTTE in Sri Lanka,” Mr Keelty said.
Rajeevan, who holds a Victorian driver’s licence, appeared briefly in Sydney’s Central Local Court for an interstate extradition hearing.
His defence lawyer, Phillip Boulten SC, consented to the order for Rajeevan to appear in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.
ith being members of a terrorist organisation, providing support or resources to a terrorist organisation and making funds available to a terrorist organisation.
The men allegedly used the Melbourne-based Tamil Coordination Committee to raise funds for the Tamil Tigers under the guise of fundraising for tsunami relief.
It is alleged they bought equipment of the type used in terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka.
The men were remanded in custody until July 24 for a committal mention at the same court.
Supporters of the Tamil Tigers say they are not a terrorist organisation, but a secessionist movement.
– ABC
