Published on - 12/13/2007
A FRENCH COURT has turned down bail applications filed by 19 high ranking LTTE leaders arrested and detained in France and ordered they be kept in remand pending their trial in April 2008, agency reports said.
The 19 suspects, 14 arrested in Paris in April and five in September 2007 are to be tried for a number of crimes including extortion, intimidation, forcible fund collection, money laundering and fraudulent finance dealings.
Among the suspects are LTTE leader in France Parithi alias Nadarajah Mathienthiran, political and propaganda chief Aravindan Thureswamy alias Metha and Thuraisamy Jayamurthy alias Sinna Jeya, who was in-charge of finance and money laundering. They were arrested on the April Fools Day. Ranjan who filled the vacancy created by Parithi\'s arrest and four others were apprehended in September on information elicited from the first batch.
Though Ranjan had been keeping a low profile, French police were monitoring the activities of the LTTE\'s second rung, after nabbing the top leaders.
Ravi Manickam alias Oothai Ravi, also arrested in September was the key figure entrusted with taking care of the anti-LTTE Tamil groups in France. He is also suspected of a number of mysterious murders and abduction of Tamil diaspora in France.
The French anti-terrorist police had told Court they had seized a large number of documents from several LTTE offices and other front organizations and if the suspects were released on bail, it would hamper their investigations and it would be difficult to get witnesses as the LTTE is well known for intimidation of hostile witnesses. (Courtesy: The Island)
