2ND LEAD (Adds details)

Canada says WTM is a terrorist group

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 17 June 2008, 01:12 GMT]
Stating that “[t]he Government is once again taking decisive action to protect Canadians from terrorism and to safeguard our nation’s security,” Stockwell Day, Minister of Public Safety, announced Monday that the Government of Canada has listed World Tamil Movement (WTM) as a terrorist group, effective June 13, 2008.

The statement said the designation was made pursuant to the Criminal Code of Canada.

WTM meets the threshold set out in the Criminal Code which "requires the existence of reasonable grounds to believe that the entity has knowingly participated in or facilitated a terrorist activity or is knowingly acting on behalf of, at the direction, or in association with such an entity," the statement from the Minister said.

The WTM has always denied funding the Tamil Tigers.

"WTM President Sitta Sittampalam said he was consulting with his lawyers and was considering an appeal of the decision," Canwest Newsservice reported.

"Although the government said it had taken the step to support the Tamil community in Canada, the Canadian Tamil Congress denounced the move," the news report added.

Spokesman David Poopalapillai said Ottawa should be pressuring the Sri Lankan government to curb its human rights abuses and military campaign rather than singling out the Tamil Tigers. "This is not the way to promote peace in Sri Lanka," the report said quoting Poopalapillai.

Chronology:


External Links:

CA:		Canada: Criminal Code ( R.S., 1985, c. C-46 )
CA:		Canada lists the World Tamil Movement as a terrorist organization