DESIGNATION OF WORLD TAMIL MOVEMENT AS A TERRORIST ENTITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 OTTAWA 000816 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR S/CT, WHA/CAN, AND EEB/ESC/TFS TREASURY FOR PAUL LURIE AND MARIAN DRAKE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER KTFN CA CE SUBJECT: DESIGNATION OF WORLD TAMIL MOVEMENT AS A TERRORIST ENTITY ¶1. (U) Summary. On June 16, the Government of Canada listed the Toronto-based World Tamil Movement (WTM) as a terrorist entity under the anti-terrorism provisions of the Criminal Code, describing it as the "leading front organization" for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Canada, which both the USG and Canada consider a terrorist entity. Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day lauded this "important step in ensuring our safety and security in the global fight against terrorism." The government's action again demonstrated Canada's strong commitment to the War on Terrorism. End summary. ¶2. (U) Established in 1986, the Toronto-based WTM is a registered non-profit association whose official mandate is to serve the ethnic Tamil community, lobby governments, and raise money "for charitable organizations serving the Sri Lankan Tamils, particularly destitute refugees." Allegations that the WTM acts as a financial front for the LTTE date to 1996. The LTTE is a designated terrorist entity in both the U.S. and Canada; the USG has not designated the WTM. ¶3. (U) The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) raided WTM offices in Toronto and Montreal in 2006; in April 2008, it seized bank accounts linked to the WTM and closed the WTM office in Montreal. A RCMP investigation determined that WTM offices had transferred funds to bank accounts in Sri Lanka meant for the LTTE, that the leadership acts at the direction of leaders of the LTTE, that WTM representatives canvass areas in Canada with large Tamil populations and demand substantial donations on behalf of the LTTE, and that refusal to contribute had often led to threats and intimidation. Minister Day alleged that the WTM had raised "millions" in Canada for the LTTE, and had transferred equipment and technology to the group. The Minister declined to say whether the government would file any charges against the group or its members, however. ¶4. (U) Canada's terrorism list began in 2001 under then-new anti-terrorism provisions of the Criminal Code to help combat terrorist activities and impede terrorist financing, with designations to stem from the existence of "reasonable grounds" to believe that an entity has knowingly participated in, or facilitated, a terrorist activity or is knowingly acting on behalf of, at the direction of, or in association with, such an entity. The list prohibits all persons in Canada, as well as Canadians abroad, from knowingly dealing with assets owned or controlled by entities included in the list, and participating, contributing to, or facilitating the operations of listed entities. ¶5. (U) The WTM is the 41st organization on the terrorism list. The WTM listing is retroactive to June 13. However, the WTM has 60 days from the date of listing to request a judicial review of the decision. The government must review validity of the list every two years; the last review was November 9, 2006. The LTTE joined the list on April 8, 2006. ¶6. (U) The current full list includes: Abu Nidal Organization (ANO) Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) Al Jihad (AJ) Al Qaida Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade (AAMB) Al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya (AGAI) Al-Ittihad Al-Islam (AIAI) Ansar al-Islam (AI) Armed Islamic Group (GIA) Asbat Al-Ansar ("The League of Partisans") Aum Shinrikyo Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia (AUC) Babbar Khalsa (BK) Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) Ejercito de Liberacion Nacional (ELN) Euskadi Ta Askatasuna (ETA) QEuskadi Ta Askatasuna (ETA) Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) Gulbuddin Hekmatyar Hamas (Harakat Al-Muqawama Al-Islamiya) (" Islamic Resistance Movement ") Harakat ul-Mudjahidin (HuM) Hezb-e Islami Gulbuddin (HIG) Hizballah International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) Islamic Army of Aden (IAA) Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) Jaish-e Mohammed (JeM) Jemaah Islamiyyah (JI) Kahane Chai (KACH) Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) OTTAWA 00000816 002 OF 002 Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LJ) Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Mujahedin e Khalq (MEK) Palestine Liberation Front (PLF) Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine - General Command (PFLP-GC) Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) Salafist Group for Call and Combat (GSPC) Sendero Luminoso (SL) Vanguards of Conquest (VOC) World Tamil Movement (WTM) ¶7. (SBU) Comment: The WTM has sought to be active in federal Canadian politics and has particularly courted Toronto and Montreal-area federal Liberal politicians. Toronto has possibly the largest Tamil diaspora outside Asia, but some local groups on June 16 praised the government's decision, which should provide relief for many ordinary Tamils in Canada whom the WTM may have been financially targeting. The government's action again demonstrated Canada's strong commitment to the War on Terrorism. BREESE