New York, Jun 10 : Four Tamil-Americans, who have been accused of providing material support - including purchase of arms and ammunition - to the Tigers, have pleaded guilty in a court here.
"Just weeks after the LTTE's leaders in Sri Lanka were defeated in that country, the leader of the LTTE in the United States and other supporters have been brought to justice," said US Attorney Benton J Campbell.
The four accused are -- Karunakaran Kandasamy also known as Karuna; Pratheepan Thavaraja also known as Raja Pratheepan, Thambi Sampras and Steeban; Murugesu Vinayagamoorthy also known as Dr Moorthy and Vinayagamoorthy Murugesu; and Vijayshanthar Patpanathan also known as Chandru.
"The defendants were convicted for their involvement in efforts to raise millions of dollars and acquire arms and technology for use by the LTTE," Campbell said.
The guilty plea proceedings were held before Chief United States District Judge Raymond Dearie. Kandasamy and Pratheepan face a 20-year maximum statutory sentence, while Vinayagamoorthy and Patpanathan face a 15-year maximum statutory sentence.
Justice Department said Kandasamy was the director of the American branch of the LTTE, which operated through charitable front organisations, including the Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO).
12:30 AM
2:16 AM
New York, Jun 9 : A leading American newspaper has asked the Obama administration to vigorously work with the few diplomatic levers available to get the release of two US journalists sentenced to 12 years in jail in North Korea.
"It should urge China, North Korea's main food and fuel supplier, to speak up for the two journalists and send an American envoy to make the case directly in Pyongyang," The New York Times said in an editorial.
Failing to free journalists Euna Lee and Laura Ling would only worsen relations with President Barack Obama, who came into office committed to reviving negotiations, and add to growing calls in Washington and around the world for tougher sanctions, the paper said.
Asking for their immediate release, the Times said, "After an imprisonment of nearly three months in one of the world's most inhumane gulags, they have already paid a huge and unfair price for doing their job." Calling North Korea's justice system "bankrupt", the Times said "Whatever the case, they do not deserve to be sent to a brutal labour camp where, according to international human rights activists and North Korean defectors, detainees endure beatings, hunger and inhumane workloads."
"It should urge China, North Korea's main food and fuel supplier, to speak up for the two journalists and send an American envoy to make the case directly in Pyongyang," The New York Times said in an editorial.
Failing to free journalists Euna Lee and Laura Ling would only worsen relations with President Barack Obama, who came into office committed to reviving negotiations, and add to growing calls in Washington and around the world for tougher sanctions, the paper said.
Asking for their immediate release, the Times said, "After an imprisonment of nearly three months in one of the world's most inhumane gulags, they have already paid a huge and unfair price for doing their job." Calling North Korea's justice system "bankrupt", the Times said "Whatever the case, they do not deserve to be sent to a brutal labour camp where, according to international human rights activists and North Korean defectors, detainees endure beatings, hunger and inhumane workloads."
2:16 AM
New York, June 9 : A group of armed men attacked the office of UN agriculture agency in northern Afghanistan with a rocket-propelled grenade leaving two guards injured over the weekend, the United Nations today said.
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) office in the city of Kunduz was attacked by six armed men at around midnight on Saturday.
The two guards were injured by the grenade attack, but their injuries are not life-threatening, and all UN personnel are safe, according to the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).
"While the motive of the attack remains unclear, it is a matter of great concern that anyone would target our office," the Mission said at a press conference in Kabul.
FAO is helping farmers in the area rehabilitate their land, reap their harvests and feed their families, it said.
"We know that the farmers and people of Kunduz will join us in wanting to send a strong message to those behind this attack that they must stop and recognise the impartiality of the UN's work in delivering essential assistance to the people of Kunduz," UNAMA said.
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) office in the city of Kunduz was attacked by six armed men at around midnight on Saturday.
The two guards were injured by the grenade attack, but their injuries are not life-threatening, and all UN personnel are safe, according to the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).
"While the motive of the attack remains unclear, it is a matter of great concern that anyone would target our office," the Mission said at a press conference in Kabul.
FAO is helping farmers in the area rehabilitate their land, reap their harvests and feed their families, it said.
"We know that the farmers and people of Kunduz will join us in wanting to send a strong message to those behind this attack that they must stop and recognise the impartiality of the UN's work in delivering essential assistance to the people of Kunduz," UNAMA said.
2:16 AM
New Delhi, June 9 : A fortnight after the murder of a 26-year-old MBA student, Delhi Police today arrested a former student of a management institute for allegedly bludgeoning the victim to death for having a relationship with his ex-girl friend.
Rahul Chadda (28), who was detained late last night, was placed under arrest this morning for his alleged involvement in the murder of Anand Tiwari on May 26, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) H G S Dhaliwal told PTI.
Chadda's two friends Arjun Acharya and Arun Raghav, who were also suspected to be involved in the murder, are absconding.
Tiwari, who hails from a family in Indrapuri area in Kolkata, was a final year MBA student at the IIPM in south Delhi and was found bludgeoned to death in a drain near a walking track in Sanjay Van of Katwariya Sarai.
A fourth semester student, Tiwari was staying with his friends in a flat in Katwaria Sarai. His head was crushed and a bloodstained boulder was found lying near the body.
"We have identified two more persons involved in the crime. They are yet to be caught," Dhaliwal said. All the three accused are residents of Ghaziabad.
Kumar was apparently angry with Tiwari after he got close to his former girl friend. "Kumar was apparently unhappy with his former girl friend going around with Tiwari. This led to the murder," a senior police official said.
Rahul Chadda (28), who was detained late last night, was placed under arrest this morning for his alleged involvement in the murder of Anand Tiwari on May 26, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) H G S Dhaliwal told PTI.
Chadda's two friends Arjun Acharya and Arun Raghav, who were also suspected to be involved in the murder, are absconding.
Tiwari, who hails from a family in Indrapuri area in Kolkata, was a final year MBA student at the IIPM in south Delhi and was found bludgeoned to death in a drain near a walking track in Sanjay Van of Katwariya Sarai.
A fourth semester student, Tiwari was staying with his friends in a flat in Katwaria Sarai. His head was crushed and a bloodstained boulder was found lying near the body.
"We have identified two more persons involved in the crime. They are yet to be caught," Dhaliwal said. All the three accused are residents of Ghaziabad.
Kumar was apparently angry with Tiwari after he got close to his former girl friend. "Kumar was apparently unhappy with his former girl friend going around with Tiwari. This led to the murder," a senior police official said.
2:16 AM
Chandigarh, Jun 9 : Haryana has achieved the "Elimination of Leprosy" status, signifying the incidence of this affliction to be less than one per 10,000 persons in the state.
Stating this today, Principal Secretary (Health) of the state Anuradha Gupta said this benchmark has been fixed by the Union Health Minister for granting this status to any state or Union Territory.
The prevalence rate in Haryana was 0.18 per 10,000 population on March 31, the second lowest in the country after Meghalaya and Daman and Diu.
At the close of last fiscal, there were 456 people undergoing treatment for leprosy in the state.
According to Gupta, workers of the health department along with deputy chief medical officers (Leprosy) have been visiting all the 19 leprosy-hit colonies.
These include five authorised colonies in Ambala city, Faridabad, Jagadhari, Karnal and Rohtak and 14 self-settled colonies in Ambala, Hisar, Yamuna Nagar, Kurukshetra, Panipat, Gurgaon, Sirsa, Jhajjar, Kaithal, Hisar and Sonepat.
Stating this today, Principal Secretary (Health) of the state Anuradha Gupta said this benchmark has been fixed by the Union Health Minister for granting this status to any state or Union Territory.
The prevalence rate in Haryana was 0.18 per 10,000 population on March 31, the second lowest in the country after Meghalaya and Daman and Diu.
At the close of last fiscal, there were 456 people undergoing treatment for leprosy in the state.
According to Gupta, workers of the health department along with deputy chief medical officers (Leprosy) have been visiting all the 19 leprosy-hit colonies.
These include five authorised colonies in Ambala city, Faridabad, Jagadhari, Karnal and Rohtak and 14 self-settled colonies in Ambala, Hisar, Yamuna Nagar, Kurukshetra, Panipat, Gurgaon, Sirsa, Jhajjar, Kaithal, Hisar and Sonepat.