National Post : 9 June 2000

Axworthy to stanch terror
funds flow
Government on the defensive in wake of
Tigers' deadly bomb

Stewart Bell and Justine Hunter
National Post 

The government moved swiftly yesterday to repair the political
damage caused by Wednesday's deadly suicide bombing in Sri
Lanka, announcing that it would amend the Criminal Code if
necessary to stop terrorist fundraising in Canada. 

Following the blast in Colombo, which killed a cabinet minister,
his wife and 21 bystanders, Canada's Foreign Minister, Lloyd
Axworthy, told the House of Commons that he had "no tolerance"
for groups raising money here for violence and would ensure that
such practices were criminalized. 

He said Ottawa had helped draft, and has signed, a United
Nations agreement outlawing terrorist fundraising, and added:
"There may have to be amendments in order to provide for the
requirements of that legislation, and that's what the government is
working on now." 

His comments followed a statement by Lawrence MacAulay, the
Solicitor-General, denouncing Wednesday's assassination of C.V.
Gooneratne, the Sri Lankan Industry Minister, by a member of the
Black Tigers, the Tamil Tigers suicide squad. 

"The government of Canada and the people of Canada deplore
yesterday's act of terrorism, which claimed 21 lives in Sri Lanka,"
Mr. MacAulay told the House. "The government strongly
condemns terrorism and any group that uses violence to forward
their goals." 

Paul Martin, the Finance Minister, did not respond to questions
about his participation in a May 6 dinner hosted by a group that
has been widely identified as a fundraising front for the Tigers. Mr.
Martin earlier accused critics of being "anti-Canadian." 

The Canadian Alliance yesterday questioned the government's
commitment to fighting terrorism, saying that despite its
condemnations, active fundraising was continuing by groups such
as the Tamil Tigers. The Alliance cited a report in the National
Post saying Canada's ambassador to Sri Lanka had admitted
fundraising was taking place. 

"CSIS, the RCMP, the U.S. State Department, our own
diplomats all say that the fundraising continues apace and has
reached a huge amount of dollars every year that is sent from here
to help fund terrorist organizations there," said Chuck Strahl, the
Canadian Alliance MP. 

Jim Abbot, the Alliance solicitor-general critic, said although
Canada had signed the U.N. agreement outlawing terrorist
financing, the practice continues. "In spite of the piece of paper
that the minister was talking about, these organizations continue to
collect money. They tell us it's over $20-million a year," he said. 

A man with explosives strapped to his body approached Mr.
Gooneratne at a War Heroes Day parade in a suburb of the
capital city Colombo and set off the bomb while he was hugging
the minister. Two more people died yesterday, including the
minister's wife. Another 60 were recovering from injuries. 

The bombing appears to be the work of the Liberation Tigers of
Tamil Eelam (LTTE), or Tamil Tigers, which has killed hundreds
of politicians and civilians with suicide bombs. The terrorist group
has been fighting for 17 years for independence for Sri Lanka's
ethnic Tamil minority. 

The attack was widely condemned by world leaders, including
Kofi Annan, the U.N. Secretary-General, who said he was
"profoundly shocked." Amnesty International also condemned the
bombing and urged the LTTE to stop killing innocent civilians. 

The United States said the "LTTE's legacy of bombing
assassinations, massacres and torture has alienated the people of
Sri Lanka and the international community, and has done nothing
to promote the legitimate needs and aspirations of the Sri lankan
Tamils." 

Following the attack, the Sri Lankan parliament extended for
another month a countrywide state of emergency, which gives
police and government forces sweeping powers to arrest and
detain suspects. 

Another 12 people were killed in skirmishes yesterday. The LTTE
also assassinated a prominent member of a moderate Tamil
political party and killed a 33-year-old man who had refused to
join the rebel force, the government said. 

Police said the bomber used 1.5 kilograms of plastic explosives.
According to intelligence sources, the LTTE bought a huge cache
of explosives from Ukraine in 1994, which was paid for using the
bank account of a Canadian. The explosives are still in use, the
sources said. 

CSIS and the RCMP say the Tamil Tigers have an extensive
fundraising network in Canada that raises money through rallies,
crime and front organizations to finance the purchase of weapons.
Tigers supporters are planning a rally at Toronto's Molson
Amphitheatre this weekend. 

Mr. Axworthy signed the UN agreement, which aims to cut off
funds for terrorist groups, in February. But department officials
said yesterday they are still reviewing existing laws to determine
how Canada would abide by the UN convention and would not
even say if draft legislation is in the works. 

"We intend to ratify this as soon as possible," a foreign affairs
department official said. He declined to say whether legislation
would be introduced this year. 

Canada is one of 16 countries to endorse the International
Convention on the Suppression of Financing of Terrorism, but it
must be ratified by 22 countries to come into effect.