Can the conflict in Sri Lanka be characterized as an international armed conflict or a non-international armed conflict?.The defense countered that the men were freedom fighters (p. The prosecution’s allegations included that the five men extorted millions of Euros through blackmail and threatening messages in order to fund the LTTE in Sri Lanka. He was the LTTE’s bookkeeper, actively participating in meetings of the LTTE, and was a member of the LTTE (pp. The Defendant in the present case was one of the accused, identified only as Selliaha. All five men were of Sri Lankan descent but also possesed had Dutch nationality and were living in the Netherlands (pp. 5).įive men were accused of extortion, money laundering and spreading propaganda in the Netherlands to benefit the LTTE, among other crimes. The European Union (EU), along with the United States of America and Canada placed the LTTE on the list of terrorist organisations in 2006 (p. The conflict between the two groups escalated into a guerrilla war, where the LTTE’s objective was to gain independence for the Tamil population (p. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) was founded in 1976 as a result of the growing discrimination against the Tamil minority by the Singhalese majority in Sri Lanka. Walker, ' Dutch Tamil Tiger Five on Appeal', Radio Netherlands Worldwide, 17 January 2012. On 16 January 2012, the five men began their appeal against the conviction handed down by the District Court of the Hague (the Netherlands) on 21 October 2011. With the exception of one occasion, the Defendant was present and was heard by the District Court (p.
The District Court held examinations on numerous occasions between 4 August 2010 and 21 October 2011. Selliaha was sentenced to 6 years of imprisonment, the longest sentence of the five accused. The District Court acquitted Selliaha of extortion but convicted him of threatening prospective donators. Moreover, the District Court ruled that the EU’s classification of the LTTE as a banned organization, made the fundraising operations unlawful in the Netherlands. Furthermore, the District Court considered that the conflict in Sri Lanka amounts to a non-international armed conflict, but dismissed a large number of charges on the basis that the Netherlands was not party to the conflict.
The District Court found Selliaha guilty of invlovement with a criminal organization, but not of supporting terrorism. The five men, including Selliaha, allegedly extorted millions of Euros through blackmails and threats in order to fund the LTTE in Sri Lanka. The present judgment was handed down against one of the suspects, identified only as Selliaha, who acted as the LTTE’s overseas bookkeeper. The European Union (EU) placed the LTTE on a list of terrorist organizations in 2006.
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Judgment given after full argument on both sidesĮxtortion, Material support to terrorism, Money launderingĮxtortion, financing of terrorist group, money launderingįive men, allegedly members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE, a rebel group in Sri Lanka), were brought before the District Court of the Hague (the Netherlands) on charges of, among others, extortion, money laundering, and raising funds for a terrorist organization. Selliaha/Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Courtĭistrict Court of The Hague, The Netherlands
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