Thursday, August 24, 2006

A new twist on Computer Crime

The media makes a mountain out of a molehill over the arrest of University of Waterloo Engineering student linked to the Tamil Tigers

U.S. prosecutors allege that Sriskandarajah and Mylvaganam used their studies at the University of Waterloo as a cover for terrorist activities.U.S. officials claim the men approached high-tech companies for equipment they claimed was for "school projects" but was actually for Tamil fighters in Sri Lanka, according to a report in The Globe and Mail.RCMP arrest two more in alleged Tamil plot

Let us pause and see what it is he is accussed of doing. Basically, besides being linked to the attempted purchase of weapons in the U.S., which he was not 'directly' involved with, he is accussed of shipping computer software to the Tamil Tigers. Hello, computer software, not guns. Legally purchased military software. Only illegal because the Sri Lankan government bans access to it by the Tamil Tigers.

And he did this PRIOR to the Conservatives banning the LTTE as a terrorist organization. So his arrest is 'after' the fact. The allegations are that he had organized a support group for the Tamil Tigers, however as far as the FBI accusations of his link to the gun buyers in the US, that is still unclear since their information is sealed. However the accusations he is facing in Canada are that he did something perfectly legal at the time, purchase computer software. The allegation that he supplied it to the Tigers is irrelevant since they were not designated a terrorist organization at the time.

His extradition to the United States should NOT BEALLOWED. This should be challenged on the grounds that a Canadian citizen should not be charged in Canada with commiting an offense in the U.S. which is what he is being charged with.

Here is his home page.

Also See:

Sri Lanka A Marxist View



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