Ramanan Mylvaganam loses extradition appeal

Student accused of supporting Tamil Tigers loses extradition appeal

A University of Waterloo student has lost his appeal to avoid extradition to the United States on charges he supported the Tamil Tigers, which have been declared a terrorist group.

The Ontario Court of Appeal ruled that Ramanan Mylvaganam, who is in his early 30s and from Malton, Ont., very likely knew he was assisting the group.

In the decision released Friday, three judges said it could be "reasonably inferred" that Mylvaganam "knew he was assisting the LTTE for the prohibited purposes."

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam, declared a terrorist organization by the U.S. in 1997 and by Canada in 2006, had been fighting for an independent homeland in Sri Lanka until the resistance was crushed last month.

Mylvaganam was a computer engineering student at the time of his arrest in 2006.

Three other suspects with ties to the university and the Tamil Students Association were among 12 men charged.

The arrests followed a joint investigation by the FBI and the RCMP into an alleged plot to buy weapons, launder money through front charities and smuggle equipment to the rebel group.

In his Oct. 8, 2008 appeal, Mylvaganam didn't dispute the charges against him.

Instead, he argued the evidence didn't support the extradition judge's conclusion that he acted with "requisite knowledge and intent to support or participate in terrorist activity."

The decision states the judges' reasons "considered the mass of circumstantial evidence in its totality."

It also notes the appeal court sets out no evidence direct linking him to the Tamil Tigers.

Suresh Sriskandarajah of Waterloo, Ont., the alleged leader of the group of suspects, was ordered extradited to the U.S. earlier this year but was set free on bail while he appeals.

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