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