Washington D.C. Suburbs Fertile Ground For International Terrorist Financing

Dr. Nagaratnam Ranjithan has spent decades building a thriving medical practice in Maryland as a kidney specialist.

Federal authorities say he has also helped finance Asian death squads.

Two weeks ago, the U.S. Treasury Department froze the assets of Ranjithan’s Tamil Foundation, alleging that the money he has raised for Sri Lanka has actually gone to help the Tamil Tigers, a group that the State Department says is a terrorist organization. The Tigers have been blamed for thousands of civilian deaths.

Ranjithan says his group is suffering from guilt by association.

“Even the federal government hasn’t accused me of directly supporting the Tigers,” Ranjithan said in an interview with The Examiner. “They say that because I work in the Tiger area, I support the Tigers.”

Case not isolated

Ranjithan’s case isn’t an isolated one in the Washington suburbs. D.C. officials are working hard to crack down on what they dub international terrorist financing.

They don’t have to look far, experts say. “It’s a very fertile ground for investigation,” said Joseph DiGenova, former U.S. attorney for the District. “There are plenty of opportunities.”

With its large diplomatic community, multinational character, vast network of nongovernmental and charitable groups and employees, and big-hearted, big-walleted residents, the D.C. area gives excellent cover, resources and opportunities for international terrorist fronts, some experts say.

“Washington fits the bill as a place where all kinds of information is exchanging hands. You have all sorts of nongovernmental organizations headquartered here … and all sorts of international groups are chartered here,” said Gary LaFree, director of the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism at the University of Maryland.

Philanthropist imprisoned

The government’s crackdown on terror financing has shown Washingtonians a new side of their neighbors.

via www.dcexaminer.com >> Local News.