Singaporean man convicted in US of terrorism charges
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Posted: 19 October 2010 0942 hrs
SINGAPORE: A Singaporean man has been convicted of terrorism charges, in the US State of Maryland.
A federal jury in Baltimore found Balraj Naidu "conspired to" provide material support to a foreign terrorist organisation.
A statement from the US Justice Department said the 48 year old aided Sri Lanka's defeated Tamil Tiger separatists, in the attempted purchase of grenade launchers, sniper rifles, machine guns and other firearms.
The US designated the Tamil Tigers as a foreign terror organisation in 1997.
The group cannot legally raise money or procure operational equipment in the US.
The conspiracy to acquire weapons took place in April 20-06.
Naidu and four co-conspirators entered into a deal to buy US-made weapons from a company in Maryland, not knowing the deal was an undercover operation.
Under the US$900,000-deal, weapons were to be delivered to international waters off the coast of Sri Lanka.
But the arms went only as far as the US territory of Guam, before Naidu's co-conspirators were arrested.
Naidu himself was extradited from Singapore to the US in December last year.
His four co-conspirators included a Singaporean man Haniffa Osman, two Indonesians and a Sri Lankan.
All four have been convicted and jailed, with sentences ranging from 30 to 57 months.
Naidu will be sentenced on December 16 this year.
-CNA/wk -
no more tigers...
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At most this person should have been charged with arms smuggling or illegal arms dealing. Because he didnt do any terrorism.
