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Sri Lankan terror gang busted in ATM heist plot
Tuesday, 16 October 2007 - 9:52 PM SL Time
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A band of men linked to Tamil Tiger terrorists - led by a Sri Lankan who used a fake passport to get security clearance at Newark Airport - has been busted in a massive plot to loot city ATMs.
Manhattan prosecutors told the Daily News the eight men had ties to the terror group and were part of a scheme to use stolen credit card numbers to steal $250,000 in New York - and tens of millions from ATMs worldwide.
Six were nabbed in January in a raid at the Chelsea Inn, a reputed lair for the ultraviolent Sri Lankan separatist group.
The other two, including alleged ringleader Sivapalasri Velayuthampillai, 31, of Newark, were busted in July.
Until his arrest, Velayuthampillai worked three jobs at Newark Airport as a security agent and baggage handler with complete security clearance.
Prosecutors said Velayuthampillai entered the U.S. with a fake passport and dubious tale of persecution. He was given political asylum in December 2001 under circumstances still under investigation by District Attorney Robert Morgenthau.
`The defendant is part of a large, highly organized ring of international criminals who steal account and PIN numbers ... and then come to the United States to steal money from our financial institutions,` Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Kim Han said in court papers.
The U.S. and other Western governments consider the Tamil Tigers a terror organization. Velayuthampillai and the other alleged cell members came from families who emigrated from Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Somalia.
Prosecutors contend the men became part of a massive global identity theft scam last year when credit card numbers and PINs were stolen from thousands of customers at 200 gas stations in the United Kingdom.
In recent bail arguments, Han said Velayuthampillai booked hotels for his `criminal cohorts,` rented cars, drove them to various banks, moved them to different hotels every few days and hooked them up with a man who sent the money abroad.
Han said Velayuthampillai had 30 forged cards on him when he was arrested in midtown in July and more than 400 bogus cards in his rented car, all bearing account numbers stolen from two U.K. gas stations.
The operation was accidentally uncovered in the Chelsea Inn on 11th Ave. when NYPD narcotics detectives raided the hotel and one investigator shouted to everyone in the lobby, `Freeze! I will shoot you if you move!`
That`s when one rattled suspect, Ibrahim Abdifatah, 27, dropped 67 blank credit cards on the floor, police said.
`These are playing cards. We play with them,` Abdifatah said.
Cops found more than 250 blank credit cards, a coding machine, lists of financial account information and a laptop in an upstairs room that four of the defendants shared.
Abdifatah, who has pleaded guilty to more than 500 counts of identity theft and fraud, told cops he was recruited in England and promised $5,000 to use the bogus cards. Investigators said the Tamil Tigers target the U.S. because American credit cards don`t have the extra microchip security device that has helped curtail credit card frauds in Britain.
Another Sri Lankan, Krishantha Rasanayagan, 19, quickly fingered a cohort, Usman Mahmood, as the man who had organized the effort in London.
`He showed us how to encode the cards. We all do the encoding, and we each make withdrawals. Our goal was to reach $250,000,` Rasanayagan said.
All of the defendants, except Velayuthampillai, are being held without bail. Bail was set for him at $2 million.
Lawyers for the defendants deny their clients have terror ties. `I don`t think he was politically motivated,` Abdifatah`s lawyer Adam Freedman said.
`This is like tying a sidewalk crack dealer ... to the Medellin drug cartel [in Colombia],` said Mahmood`s lawyer Michael Dailey.
British and Sri Lankan authorities say the proceeds from this kind of international ATM fraud are routed back to the Tamil Tigers, Han wrote.
This summer, Jane`s Intelligence Review said the Tamil Tigers raise up to $300 million a year through international credit card fraud, extortion and donations.
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tigeress19
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 16 Oct 2007 14:53:57 GMT Report for Abuse
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this is called generalizing and mud slinging. let me throw some mud mixed with cow and dog dung on the face of the sinhalese,,,,,
every community has it's own shares of thieves and rapists, in that sense the Tamils are not exception.
what i found so astonishing is that they connect the ltte to this crime without any bases to discredit the good name of the generally peaceful, law abiding, hard working and honest Tamil community.
what we cannot forget is the 6 army deserters and convicted criminal thugs from the sinhala thesam escaped to Saudi only to get BEHEADED by the Saudis for robbing a Muslim poor lady at the air conditioned bus stop in the saudi capital.
how cool is that.??
Edited By - tigeress19 - 16 Oct 2007 14:54:23 GMT |
PULI0007
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 16 Oct 2007 14:56:19 GMT Report for Abuse
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So says Colombo based GOSL media....very popular for pacha puwath....For Example on 15/10/07 Army Camp in Thalgasmankada - Yala was destroyed by LTTE and more than Six GOSL Army Guys got Killed...entire world knows about it....But on the next day (16/10/07) Daily Mirror says only one Army guy got injured and some Forest officers got attacked by LTTE and they were retaliated by the forest officers(http://www.dailymirror.lk/2007/10/16/front/04.asp).....best of crap by Colombo media
Few weeks back colombo media also said about Indolankan defense pact and then GOSL said it is False........ment for creative false news on Lankan Tamils than actual news on Sri Lankan Modayas.....The above said ATM issue may be.... lankaweb.com Walter jayawardena news.....who writes on lankaweb what he dreamed the previous night...who is suffering from partial brain damage
Mahawamsam on internet...web link was on lankaweb.com since inception of the web site and it was removed suddenly from the lankaweb.com site after Late Dr Anton Balasingam anna commented Sihalaya's history stated on Mahawamsam .....hope you guys would have noticed it....paw aney
Can this media channel also say some thing on whole sale Kudu business done by sinhala Mudalalies (some in EU Jails)in many EU countries
Many Lankan Tamils know that Lankan Sinhalayas visit Tamilnet.com on daily basis than the Tamils....Since they know only Tamilnet provides true media coverage on Lankan North and East issues
With the regular comment about tamilnet.com news items by almost every LNP Sinhalaya it is proven they visit this site regularly more than tamils....but we Tamils hardly visit any of the sinhala pacha puwath (false news in English) sites such as lankaweb.com, island.lk, dailynews.lk, MOD web site etc which talks only pacha Jayagosha issues of JHU, JVP and Mahinda day and night.....sin aney
Edited By - PULI0007 - 16 Oct 2007 21:31:57 GMT |
tigeress19
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16 Oct 2007 14:59:15 GMT Report for Abuse
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Source(s)
? nydailynews
Punnakku news!
Edited By - tigeress19 - 16 Oct 2007 15:00:01 GMT |
costa
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 16 Oct 2007 14:59:38 GMT Report for Abuse
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Now now, LTTE won't do that, this is punnakku.
it hurts when thieves get caught for the people for are practicing the same occupation.
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ShanA
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16 Oct 2007 15:01:32 GMT Report for Abuse
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Punnakku news!
If source is not tamilnet, it's punnakku news for Ealam supporters.
Check the original source. GoSL has noting to do with the article.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime_file/2007/10/16/2007-10-16_sri_lankan_terror_gang_busted_in_atm_hei-2.html
Why tigy is so agitated? Call NY Dailynews and complain to them. What Sinhalese has to do with the article. As far I see, the reporter is not a Sri Lankan... |
costa
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16 Oct 2007 15:03:26 GMT Report for Abuse
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Well for Priyanthy , pulli007, tigeress19 this never happened,
i hope all your friends and love ones are safe, just check whether they come home today, they may be locked up for credit card ........ or what ever. |
ShanA
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16 Oct 2007 15:05:27 GMT Report for Abuse
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pol thel flavored!! for the consumption of southerners!!
I didn't know New Yorkers are pol thel fans.....
So says Colombo Sinhala media....ment for creative false news on Lankan Tamils than actual news on Sri Lankan Modayas.....This may be lankaweb.com Walter jayawardena news.....who writes on lankaweb what he dreamt the previous night
It seems like Ealam supporters don't know what 'NY' means. Guys it's 'New York Daily News' from America :)
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Priyanthy
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 16 Oct 2007 15:06:08 GMT Report for Abuse
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Well for Priyanthy , pulli007, tigeress19 this never happened,
I like the tastey punnakku provided by the State media and i always enjoy it. Where else you can get a punnakku for free of charge other than in Banana Lanka?
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Revy
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 16 Oct 2007 15:06:08 GMT Report for Abuse
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If source is not tamilnet, it's punnakku news for Ealam supporters.
No ShameA if source is the criminal Sinhala terrorist government then we know it is a guranteed lie:
British and ***Sri Lankan authorities*** say the proceeds from this kind of international ATM fraud are routed back to the Tamil Tigers, Han wrote.
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