Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09SINGAPORE1010
2009-10-20 02:14:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Singapore
Cable title:  

SINGAPORE COOPERATES ON EXTRADITION OF TAMIL TIGER

Tags:  PGOV PREL PTER KCRM SN 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO4220
OO RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHGP #1010 2930214
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 200214Z OCT 09 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7329
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC
RHMFISS/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC
RUCNFB/FBI WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SINGAPORE 001010 

SIPDIS

EAP/MTS FOR M. COPPOLA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/20/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER KCRM SN
SUBJECT: SINGAPORE COOPERATES ON EXTRADITION OF TAMIL TIGER
SUPPORTER

Classified By: CDA Daniel Shields, reasons 1.4(b,d)

Singapore Acts to Extradite Tamil Tiger Supporter
--------------------------------------------- ----

C O N F I D E N T I A L SINGAPORE 001010

SIPDIS

EAP/MTS FOR M. COPPOLA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/20/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER KCRM SN
SUBJECT: SINGAPORE COOPERATES ON EXTRADITION OF TAMIL TIGER
SUPPORTER

Classified By: CDA Daniel Shields, reasons 1.4(b,d)

Singapore Acts to Extradite Tamil Tiger Supporter
-------------- --------------


1. (C) Singapore citizen Balraj Naidu Ragavan is under U.S.
indictment for violating the Arms Export Control Act and
committing other crimes in connection with attempts to broker
weapons sales to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in

2006. The United States formally requested Naidu's
extradition on July 9. Singapore authorities then arrested
Naidu for violations of Singapore's Strategic Goods Control
Act and released him on bail after seizing his passport.
They rearrested him on September 22 on a warrant arising from
the U.S. extradition request, and preliminary extradition
proceedings began shortly thereafter. The court has not yet
scheduled the final extradition hearing, but Embassy law
enforcement officials who are following the proceeding expect
the matter to move quickly.

Opposition Party Surprised by Arrest of Former Official
-------------- --------------


2. (C) Naidu was until recently on the central executive
council of the Reform Party, a small political party founded
in 2008 by the late opposition icon J.B. Jeyaretnam; Naidu
remains a party member. J.B. Jeyaretnam's son Kenneth now
heads the Reform Party after wrapping up a career in hedge
fund management spent mostly in Hong Kong and London. When
the news of Naidu's arrest and possible extradition broke,
Kenneth Jeyaretnam was quoted by local media as saying that
it came as a "complete surprise" to him. Jeyaretnam added
that the allegations against Naidu pertained to a time before
the Reform Party existed and the party had no knowledge of
the case. Jeyaretnam also said the Reform Party would help
Naidu find legal counsel in the United States, and he and
another party official attended an October 5 court proceeding
in the extradition case. Jeyaretnam declared he was
confident that Naidu would receive a fair trial in the United
States.

Local Press Highlights Naidu's Reform Party Connection
-------------- --------------


3. (SBU) Singapore's broadsheet newspaper, the
government-linked Straits Times, has heavily emphasized
Naidu's Reform Party connection in its reporting on the case.
Its September 30 coverage ran under the title "Reform Party
man wanted in U.S.: U.S. govt seeks extradition of
businessman to face terror charges." The October 6 follow-up
report also highlighted Naidu's opposition links with the
headline "Reform Party backs man wanted in U.S." - though the
article itself reported that Kenneth Jeyaretnam had simply
cited the legal presumption of Naidu's innocence. Half of
each article dwelled on Naidu's links to the Reform Party and
the party's response to the allegations against him.

Visit Embassy Singapore's Classified website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/singapore/ind ex.cfm
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