MEDIA RELEASE PR36731
Sri Lankan Terrorism Victims Charge Wall Street Hedge Fund Manager, Rajaratnam, With
Financing Tamil Tigers
NEWARK, N.J., Oct. 23 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ --
Indicted Billionaire and Family Trust Knowingly Supported Terrorist
Activity, Civil Complaint Alleges
Indicted Wall Street hedge fund manager Rajakumara Rajaratnam and his
father, J. M. Rajaratnam, knowingly provided financial and other support to
the Tamil Tigers, more than 30 victims and survivors of the terrorist group's
attacks alleged today.
In a complaint filed today in the U.S. District Court for the District of
New Jersey, family members of those killed and survivors of bombings
committed by the group formally known as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam
(LTTE), alleged that Rajaratnam and the family foundation headed by his
father provided millions of dollars in funds used for terrorist attacks.
The seven-count complaint, the result of a year-long investigation, was
filed under the Alien Tort Claims Act of 1789 which grants non U.S. citizens
access to the U.S. Courts to seek justice for violations of "the law of
nations," such as crimes against humanity and terrorism, no matter where they
occur.
"I will do anything to stop the LTTE menace and its suicide bombings,"
said Diyawadanage Subashini Sagarika Priyadarshani, widow of Kuruppu
Appuhamylage Karunaratna, an Olympic athlete and champion marathon runner who
was killed when an LTTE suicide bomber attacked the marathon in which he was
running on April 6, 2008 in Weliweriya, Sri Lanka.
"We are seeking justice for the victims of LTTE terrorism, accountability
for those whose money paid for the injuries and murder of our clients and
their loved ones, and a strong deterrent against anyone who seeks to support
terrorists of any stripe," said counsel for the plaintiffs, Michael Elsner of
Motley Rice LLC.
"The defendants, we allege, have the plaintiffs' blood on their hands
because those who paid for murder are just as culpable as those who committed
the acts," Elsner said. "We have what we believe is incontrovertible evidence
that the money of Mr. Rajaratnam and his father made its way to the LTTE as
intended, that they knew the LTTE was engaged in a massive campaign of
terrorism, and that they supported the LTTE's goals and tactics."
"Everything is lost now," said Hathwellge Dona Siryani. Her daughter,
Shanika Oshadi Peillassage, was killed along with her boyfriend, Anjana
Thanuska Habaraduwa Hewage, in the November 28, 2007 bombing of a crowded "No
Limit" clothing store at Nugegoda junction in a suburb of Colombo. The
victims were months away from their planned wedding.
"Our loss cannot be replaced," said Karunamunige Krishanthi. Her husband,
Hettige Priyantha Perera Jayatunga, was killed, and she and her daughter were
injured in the "No Limit" bombing. She was hospitalized for nearly two months
and did not learn about her husband's death until her release. Her daughter,
now age six, was in the hospital for three weeks. Both continue to suffer
pain from their injuries and the family was forced to move when they were
unable to pay the rent following Jayatunga's death.
"Today when we get up in the morning, we feel that it would be better to
have died than to live," said Wijayan Rajaratnam, father of Rajaratnum
Radeeswaran, who was killed February 3, 2008 when an LTTE suicide bomber
attacked the Fort Railway train station in Colombo. His son was captain of
his baseball team and a Tamil, the same ethnic group as the LTTE, whose
terrorist acts did not discriminate between the targeted Sinhalese and the
Tamils.
From 2004 through 2009, LTTE conducted hundreds of attacks, including
several suicide bombings and political assassination attempts. According to
the FBI, LTTE is responsible for the murders of over 4,000 people since 2006.
The terrorist organization was the first to use suicide attacks on a
widespread basis, a tactic subsequently adopted by al Qaeda and Hamas, among
others. Most of LTTE's funding and weapons procurement came from a network of
international front charities and non-governmental organizations controlled
by LTTE.
The complaint documents the transfer of millions of dollars from
Rajaratnam and his family's foundation to the Tamil Rehabilitation
Organization (TRO), which was designated by the U.S. Treasury Department in
2007 as a "charitable organization that acts as a front to facilitate
fundraising and procurement for the LTTE." The TRO's assets were immediately
frozen.
According to the complaint, Rajaratnam gave $1 million to the TRO's U.S.
branch in 2004 in response to LTTE's calls for renewed funding in
anticipation of the "final war." This money was funneled from TRO-US accounts
to TRO headquarters in Sri Lanka. Rajaratnam had previously made a $1 million
contribution to TRO following the LTTE's successful "Elephant Pass" guerrilla
campaign. These donations "demonstrate Rajaratnam's contributions were given
with the intent of supporting specific LTTE attacks and operations," the
complaint charges.
The complaint also documents donations from the Rajaratnam Family
Foundation to the TRO totaling well over $5 million from 2001 to 2007.
As further evidence that Rajaratnam clearly supported LTTE's campaign of
terrorism, the complaint cites allegations that letters introducing
Rajaratnam were provided to LTTE founder and leader Vellupillai Prabhakaran
between December 2002 and June 2003. The letters of introduction to
Prabhakaran, who was killed in 2009, were arranged by Karunakaran Kandasamy
(Karuna), a TRO fundraiser and an LTTE operative who pled guilty in U.S.
courts to criminal charges of materially supporting LTTE in June 2009. In
letters to senior LTTE leaders in Sri Lanka, Karuna described Rajaratnam as a
wealthy Tamil supporter in the United States who was "among the people who
provide financial support for our struggle for freedom" and as someone who
"has been working actively on the forefront."
In November 2002, Rajaratnam, speaking at a fundraiser for the
Association of Tamils of Sri Lankan USA (ITSA), called those supporting the
Tamils' struggle in Sri Lanka "terrorists," later adding that they were not
just terrorists but also "freedom fighters."
In addition, Rajaratnam's father wrote on ITSA's website that
"Historically, freedom movements have been labeled as terrorist organizations
by the oppressors . . . 'Terrorists' have in their lifetime become 'His
excellencies.'" He added, "LTTE has not engaged in any killing that is not
justifiable in the context of war."
The counts brought by the lawsuit are: aiding and abetting terrorist acts
universally condemned as violations of the law of nations; aiding and
abetting, intentionally facilitating, and/or recklessly disregarding crimes
against humanity in violation of international law; reckless disregard;
wrongful death; survival; negligence; and negligent and/or intentional
infliction of emotional distress.
Motley Rice attorneys pioneered anti-terrorism-financing litigation with
landmark lawsuits brought on behalf of the victims of 9/11, anti-Israeli
suicide bombings, IRA bombings and other terrorist attacks. To learn more
contact attorney Michael Elsner (NY, SC, VA) or visit
Motley Rice has co-counseled with Lite DePalma Greenberg & Rivas, LLC, of
Newark, New Jersey on this case. The law firm of Lite DePalma Greenberg &
Rivas, LLC has earned a national reputation for litigation of complex civil
and criminal matters. They have extensive litigation experience in state and
federal trial and appellate courts. For more information visit:
The case is known as Krishanthi et al. v. Rajaratnam et al.
Victims of LTTE terrorist attacks from 2002 through 2009, who wish to
learn more about this lawsuit and their ability to participate, are
encouraged to contact:
The Association for the Victims of LTTE Terrorism
c/o Manel Mal Movement
No.18, Rodney Place
Borella Colombo 8
0112667512
0112699666
SOURCE: Motley Rice, LLC
CONTACT: Alicia G. Ward,
Director of Marketing and Communications,
+1-843-216-9548 -phone,
or +1-843-532-7011 -mobile,
AWard@motleyrice.com
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