Colombo, Sri Lanka
Two Australians were arrested this week for allegedly diverting tsunami aid to the Sri Lankan separatist group Tamil Tigers. Aruran Vinayagamoorthy and Sivarajah Yathavan, both of Sri Lankan origin, solicited donations to help Sri Lanka recover from the devastating 2004 tsunami, which killed 35,000 people in the island nation. But the “significant” amount of money, police say, went instead to the Tamil Tigers, a group notorious for using suicide bombings and assassinations in its nearly 30-year fight for an ethnic homeland. Vinayagamoorthy and Yathavan are believed to be members of the group. It’s the first time Australia’s new anti-terror laws have been used to prosecute anyone for plotting against another country.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
How will Trump's megabill affect you?Today's Big Question Republicans have passed the 'big, beautiful bill' through Congress
-
Scientists are the latest 'refugees'In the spotlight Brain drain to brain gain
-
5 dreamy books to dive into this JulyThe Week Recommends A 'politically charged' collection of essays, historical fiction goes sci-fi and more
