German prosecutors said today that they had charged three Sri Lankan men suspected of fundraising and buying weapons for the LTTE.

Sri Lankan national Vijikanendra V. S., 35, and German nationals Sasitharan M., 33, and Koneswaran T., 39, were charged with belonging to a banned "terrorist" organisation and breaking export laws, a statement said.

The three men, arrested in March, operated in the western city of Oberhausen the German "affiliate" of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), banned as a "terrorist" organisation in the European Union, prosecutors said.

Between July 2007 and April 2009 they raised some three million euros (3.8 million dollars) from Tamils in Germany and transferred it to the LTTE or used it on LTTE orders to buy weapons and other items, the statement said.

Vijikanendra V. S. is also believed to have been in charge of all of the Tigers' foreign affiliates, prosecutors added. They did not say when the men might face trial. (AFP)