NEW YORK, Jan. 28 (UPI) -- Four defendants in New York have pleaded guilty to trying to help Sri Lanka's Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, a designated terrorist group, officials said.
Defendants Thiruthanikan Thanigasalam and Sahilal Sabaratnam are accused of conspiring and attempting to acquire guided anti-aircraft missiles, a U.S. Justice Department statement said.
Defendant Sathajhan Sarachandran Monday pleaded guilty to providing, conspiring to provide and attempting to provide material support to the LTTE as well as conspiring and attempting to acquire guided anti-aircraft missiles.
Defendant Yogarasa Nadarasa pleaded guilty to attempting to provide material support to the LTTE and conspiring to do so.
The four entered their plea before Chief United States District Judge Raymond Dearie.
The statement said Thanigasalam, Sabaratnam, and Sarachandran face 25 years to life in prison. Nadarasa faces up to 30 years behind bars.
The four were arrested in 2006 on Long Island after three of the defendants engaged in negotiations with an undercover FBI agent to purchase and export ten SA-18 heat-seeking anti-aircraft missiles and launchers, 500 AK-47s, and other military equipment for the terrorist group.
The LTTE was founded in 1976 to establish an independent Tamil state in northern Sri Lanka. The LTTE began its armed conflict against the Sri Lankan government in 1983. In 1997, the LTTE was designated by the U.S. State Department as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.
