VZCZCXRO1563
PP RUEHGA RUEHHA RUEHMT RUEHQU RUEHVC
DE RUEHOT #0816/01 1691759
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 171759Z JUN 08
FM AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8050
INFO RUCNCAN/ALL CANADIAN POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 0292
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
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