Arms dealer convicted

19 October 2010 02:24 am - 12 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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A Singapore man was convicted by a Maryland jury Monday of attempting to purchase American arms for use by the Tamil Tigers, a U.S. designated terrorist group in Sri Lanka.

Balraj Naidu, 48, was found guilty of conspiracy to provide material support to a terrorist group, and he now faces a maximum of 15 years in prison.

According to a press release by the U.S. attorney's office in Maryland, Naidu and his co-conspirators wanted to obtain grenade launchers, sniper rifles, machine guns and other state-of-the-art U.S. weapons. In 2006, Naidu and his associates started dealings with an agent for an undercover business in Maryland to obtain weapons. According to the U.S. attorney's office, one of Naidu's co-conspirators named Haniffa Bin Osman during the summer of 2006 traveled to Baltimore, where he examined the arms and test-fired many of them.

Representatives of the Tamil Tigers then made a wire transfer to the undercover business for $250,000. That was a down payment on a total price of $900,000. The government says 28 tons of weapons and ammunition were air-lifted to Guam. A group of conspirators inspected the shipment and then another payment of $450,000 was transferred to the undercover business.

At that point, Naidu and his co-conspirators were arrested.

Naidu is scheduled to be sentenced in December. Osman and three others pleaded guilty and received sentences ranging from three years to almost five years.

The Tamil Tigers organization sought to overthrow the government of Sri Lanka in a 26-year insurgency that ended last year. The group frequently used suicide bombers to attack military and civilian targets.

The State Department designated the group a Foreign Terrorist Organization in 1997, and it is not allowed to buy weapons or try to raise money in the United States.

CNN

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Comments - 12

DHAMMIKA Tuesday, 19 October 2010 02:52 AM

IF CONVICTED CANT BE A " RAJAPAKSE "

Smart Aleck Tuesday, 19 October 2010 02:57 AM

Balraj is now qualified to join his boss KP in Sri Lanka.

Wisdom Tuesday, 19 October 2010 03:01 AM

KAMMA TAKING FRUITION!

Minister Tuesday, 19 October 2010 03:10 AM

Wow, what a great news. But the man who paid for them aand transported those weapons to the LTTE here is enjoying as a VIP here.

Bluff Bluff Tuesday, 19 October 2010 03:10 AM

Balraj Naidu, You should have been here, and not in US to enjoy your best as a "Desha Premi"

Concerned Tuesday, 19 October 2010 03:12 AM

Here its other way around. The man who fought to silence those weapons is in jail!

Bird Eye Tuesday, 19 October 2010 03:21 AM

Better late than never.

Minister Tuesday, 19 October 2010 05:43 AM

Had you been here you could have prayed to KP to get the pardon.. ha ha!

Roshan Tuesday, 19 October 2010 06:12 AM

ONE will be convicted sooner or later by USA. IF u know what I mean.

Saradial Tuesday, 19 October 2010 06:15 AM

Another one added to VIP list (lol)

Calistus Jayatilleke Tuesday, 19 October 2010 05:03 PM

Although it may be a punishable crime in USA, apparently such acts are rewarded with luxury living in Sri Lanka. Otherwise, how could one explain KP's case.

dulkith Tuesday, 19 October 2010 11:47 PM

where´s my comment? is it too damaging for MR regime because what i wrote is true?

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Arms dealer convicted

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