Tamil Tigers still active in Europe

THE HAGUE — When Tamil Tigers were routed on the battlefield two years ago, the Sri Lankan government believed it had crushed the 25-year rebellion for a separate Tamil homeland.

But evidence surfacing in a courthouse in the Netherlands shows that the cause of Tamil independence is still alive in Europe, and an assessment from counterterrorism authorities says supporters of the defeated rebels remain engaged in extortion, human trafficking and other crimes to raise money for their brethren in Sri Lanka.

Dutch prosecutor Ward Ferdinandusse has told The Hague District Court that “here in Europe, they are very much alive.” That view is echoed by the latest assessments published by Europol, the EU’s police coordination organization.