Canadians tried to buy missiles for Tamil Tigers: U.S.

[tuvor]

Three Canadians are among a group of eight men accused by U.S. officials of attempting to buy surface-to-air missiles from an undercover agent for use in a campaign against Sri Lankan government forces.

The U.S. Department of Justice said two complaints were unsealed in a Brooklyn, N.Y., federal court Monday, charging the men with multiple crimes, including conspiracy to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (Tamil Tigers).

The criminal complaints also allege some of the men tried to obtain classified information from federal departments and offered bribes of at least $1 million US to try to get the group removed from the U.S. list of terrorist organizations.

Six of the men appeared at a federal court hearing. The material support charge carries a maximum of 15 years in prison, while the bribery charge maximum is five years.

http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/national/2006/08/21/canadians-arrested.html

(Crossposted at LBN http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2468315)