Terrorist Infiltration Of Canadian Media

(By Camelia Nathaniel)

The LTTE was successful in creating a terrorist support base in Canada by systematically indoctrinating the Sri Lankan Tamil migrants, both old and new. The Tamil community, one of the most peaceful communities, came under the influence of misinformation and disinformation. The outcome was the subversion of a segment of the Tamil community and growth of a terrorist support base. Rather than coercing, those indoctrinated donated money voluntarily to a proscribed terrorist group, while those indoctrinated abandoned their traditions of peace and culture of non violence. Several hundred supported and a few participated in the unlawful killing, maiming and injuring of civilians including political leaders and security forces personnel in Sri Lanka.

By creating their own media organizations and infiltrating existing television and radio stations in Canada, the LTTE enhanced their grip and control over the Tamil community. For instance, Tamil Vision International (TVI) was funded and created by the foreign wing of the LTTE. While the foreign wing leader Veerakathy Manivannan, alias Castro, committed suicide, his deputy Perinpanayagam Sivaparan, alias Nediyawan, continues to operate the LTTE media from Oslo, Norway. Similarly, LTTE Canada, the single largest overseas branch, attempted to infiltrate Canadian Tamil Broadcasting Corporation (CTBC) and other Tamil media organizations. The mainstream Canadian media successfully resisted LTTE infiltration including attempts to recruit Canadian journalists and reporters.

The role of infiltrated media organizations

While successful operations by Canadian authorities – CSIS, RCMP, and State Police – have disrupted LTTE extortion attempts, the LTTE is determined to indoctrinate the community to give voluntarily. To reach the wider Tamil community, the LTTE is keen to increase the number of radio stations especially those with FM long range. In Canada, CMR and Vanakkam are two Tamil radio stations that broadcast on FM long range.

Since August 2013, NCCT tried to take control over Tamil One and Vanakkam that have resisted LTTE overtures. Currently, CTBC and Geethavaani are broadcasting on shortwave band and the LTTE is keen to upgrade their services to FM status. At this point, to listen to CTBC and Geethavaani broadcast, a special wave band radio is required.

When LTTE overran Elephant Pass Military Complex in April 2000, Kandiah Sivasothy, alias Illayabharathi, from CTBC engaged in an emotional fundraising campaign. Using emotive language, Illayabharathi initially collected CD 90,000. Announcing that he wanted to collect CD one million, he brought on board World Tamil Movement (WTM) finance leader Mathagal Kannan. A jubilant Illayabharathi invited both Tamil individuals and shop owners to donate. By extending and intensifying the fund raising campaign, he announced having achieved their target CD one million.

Similarly, Illyabharathi raised funds for the Tsunami along with Canadian Multicultural Radio and Tamil Vision International. However, there was no proper record as to where the funds were transferred to and how it was used. After the defeat of the LTTE, Illayabharathi briefly supported the Government in an attempt to obtain an FM station in Sri Lanka. Upon failure, he went back to broadcasting LTTE propaganda. In response, Tamils in Canada dubbed Illyabharathi “The man with a golden voice who only loves himself!”

To listen to the CTBC broadcast, Illayabharathi sold radios through an agent for CD 100 a piece. He made a huge profit as the cost of a radio was just CD 15-20.  The Canadian law is that any electrical appliance connected to their electrical supplier should be approved by the Ontario Hydro Authority. When it was discovered that the radio was not certified by Ontario Hydro Authority, the agent who sold the radio sets disappeared.

Similarly, in the wake of LTTE overrunning Elephant Pass, Nada R Raj Kumar, Director, Geethavaani radio collected CD 50,000. In his live broadcast, he requested Tamils to donate money for medical aid for injured LTTE cadres. The money raised was given to WTM leaders. The money was not accounted for and investigations reveal that the money was wired to Malaysia to procure North Korean weapons.

Raj Kumar began his broadcasting service in the year of 1986 in Montreal on CFMP AM for a program called “Tamil Thendral”. A Pioneer broadcaster for a Tamil television network in Canada which was aired through Videotron cable for a program called “Tamil Amutham”, Raj Kumar established Geethavaani in 1991 response to its popularity, Geethavaani launched its service for a 24 hours Tamil radio.

But who is the true Raj Kumar? Raj Kumar’s name features on WTM, Montreal and Canadian Tamil Congress, Toronto records. As a part of the LTTE program to infiltrate the Canadian polity, Raj Kumar was one of the ten CTC nominees to run for the municipal elections of Toronto in 2006. To run for elections, CTC gave advice and permission to Logan Kanapathy, Neethan Shan, his wife, Raj Kumar, Thasa Navamanikkam, Shan Dayabaran, Elagupillai and others who were LTTE supporters. At the CTC press conference, Pon Balraj supported the ten candidates running for election. The LTTE television station in Canada, Tamil Vision Incorporated (TVI) telecast the press conference held at CTC HQ in Scarborough. At the end of the press conference, CTC placed an advertisement on TVI requesting its viewers and Tamil voters to vote for these ten candidates and elect them as representatives of their electoral divisions. Although CTC claimed that they represented Tamils in Canada, they were selective in their support for candidates who were LTTE activists.  Many anti-LTTE Tamils doubted whether the advertisement by CTC violated the Election Act of Canada. Was Election Canada aware that none of the candidates showed on their election expenses the cost of this advertisement?

A challenge for Canada

On April 1, 2014, under UN Security Council Resolution 1373, the Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC) and the National Council of Canadian Tamils (NCCT) were proscribed as terrorist entities. They were the successors to the Federation of Canadian Tamils (FACT) and the World Tamil Movement (WTM) proscribed by the US and Canada for their roles in supporting terrorism. These two organizations are directly linked to terrorist propaganda, fund raising and procurement of weapons. For instance, CTC Director of Communications Sahilal Sabaratnam, CTC member and President of the Tamil Youth Organization (TYO) Sathajhan Sarachandran and Thani Thanigasalam, another Canadian were arrested in 2006 by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation for purchasing anti aircraft missiles and firearms worth nearly US$1 million for the LTTE. The FBI had identified Sabaratnam as the financial mastermind of the operation who said that Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) will be the conduit for the transfer of funds. Sentenced to 25 years in prison, Sabaratnam wrote:

“We must learn to use alternative methods to violence if you choose to pursue any political agendas. I solely believe and know for a fact that the so-called well-wishers who had always stood behind the Canadian Tamil Congress are believers in a violent solution. Our beloved Tamil people have suffered the most in one form or another throughout the war. We must stop now. Stop propagating hate through Diaspora Tamil organizations.”

As articulated by CTC Director of Communications Sahilal Sabaratnam, unless the governments step in and control hate propaganda, it will once again lead to a revival of violence. With the proscription of the terrorist fronts, hitherto masquerading as community organizations, the terrorist network in Canada will adapt and transform. The terrorist supporters in Canada are likely to rely on non-proscribed organizations including university student associations and media organizations.
In that light, should Canada monitor pro-LTTE and LTTE owned Tamil broadcasts? In addition, Canadian media regulator – The Canadian Radio – Television and Telecommunications Commission – should scrutinize and monitor the terrorist infiltration of Canadian media.

(Suday Leader)