Canada makes first terror financing charge

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 18 (UPI) -- A Sri Lankan-born man has become Canada's first person charged with financing terrorism, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said in Vancouver.

Prapaharan Thambithurai, 45, was arrested during the weekend, and RCMP Superintendent Lloyde Plante would reveal little else about the case except to say Thambithurai was suspected of raising funds for the separatist Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka, the Vancouver Sun report Tuesday.

He said Thambithurai is a Canadian citizen who lives in Toronto, but allegedly was seeking money from the roughly 8,000-strong Sri Lankan community in Vancouver, the report said.

Plante said he couldn't reveal how much money was allegedly collected or sent to Sri Lanka as the case is now before the courts.

Thambithurai was ordered held in custody after his arrest for providing or making available property or services for terrorist purposes, the report said.