26 April, 2024

Blog

CTC Awarded $53,000 In Successful Defamation Lawsuit Against Rohan Gunaratna

The Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC), which sued Sri Lanka-born terrorism expert Rohan Gunaratna for linking it to the LTTE, has been awarded $53,000 by a Canadian court, the CTC said.

gota_Rohan G and GL colombotelegraphIn a February 2011 article published by Lakbima News, Gunaratna was quoted as saying: “The LTTE is operating under the name of the Canadian Tamil Congress, which is the main LTTE front organization in Canada.”

Gunaratna had also written that “the Canadian government is aware of this and currently investigating” the group.

The CTC filed a defamation case against Gunaratna for linking it to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, which was crushed by the Sri Lankan military in 2009.

In his judgment, Justice Stephen E. Firestone of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice here has ruled in favour of the CTC, awarding it $37,000 in damages and imposing $16,000 in costs on Gunaratna.

In his ruling, Justice Firestone said Gunaratna’s statements “were clearly defamatory, either directly or by innuendo, because they imply CTC is involved in the commission of violent and illegal activity…

“It is unequivocal and uncontroverted that these statements were, in fact, false and untrue.”

David Poopalapillai, National Spokesperson for CTC, applauded the court decision. “The Court’s decision is a vindication to CTC and its members and supporters. The surest way to attempt to destroy an ethnic group is to make its members afraid to even admit that they are part of that group for fear of being labelled terrorist sympathizers or terrorists themselves,” Poopalapillai continued. “The Sri Lankan government and its sympathizers have labelled all Tamils as terrorists for far too long—this judgment is a victory not only for CTC but for Tamils everywhere.”

Daniel Iny of Sack Goldblatt Mitchell LLP, legal counsel for CTC in the trial against Gunaratna, stated, “For a not-for-profit organization like CTC, its reputation is its lifeblood and its currency. The Court’s decision was an affirmation for CTC and its supporters in its recognition that Gunaratna’s words were plainly defamatory of CTC.”

 

 

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Latest comments

  • 27
    7

    My my how many will have damages if we had the same level of law in this wonder of asia !!

    • 12
      13

      In Sri Lanka almost all seek billions in damages in such cases.

      Latest was Mangala Samaraweera.

      Once the case is filed with media limelight everything disappears from the public eye. Never heard of anyone getting a billion in damges ever in SL.

      Sympromatic of our outdated, disfunctional, corrupt and manipulated system.

      Cheers!

      PS: Did CTC manage to hoodwink Canadian Justice? Everyone knows who they are.

      • 11
        4

        careful Ben, you might get slapped with a lawsuit for libel !

        Will anyone file a case against a “diplomat” from down under for his twitter rants?

      • 15
        11

        Hoodwink? more like partners in crime. This is the same Canada that didn’t ban LTTE until 2006.

        • 6
          8

          Illiberal nonsense

          It is the habitual and selective forgetfulness of the Sinhala/Buddhists that has to be pointed out here and now.

          LTTE was not banned in this island until 7th January 2009.

          I haven’t read in any of your comments questioning the Sri Lankan state for its lapses including its failure to contemplate the idea of proscribing Alexander Joseph “Lex” Luthor V Prabharan’s LTTE while it was fighting a war.

          Why didn’t the Lankies ban LTTE the arch enemy of the state until 7 January 2009?

          Canada was not warring against LTTE, however it took its own initiative while Sri Lanka had just forgot to ban it.

          Hypocrisy loses its meaning when you question Canada’s inaction.

          • 3
            4

            Spot on Native Vedda

            btw why does Ben Hurling shout so much when some of the most hated LTTE chaps are in the Govt now (Karuna,KP et all) perhaps Ben should sue the Govt or better still name the SL Govt as an LTTE backer like he loves to do to Canada hahahah

    • 19
      9

      Robert.R

      Is the Canadian legal system run by LTTE Diaspora rump?

      • 9
        5

        If to be judged by the standard of Justice in Sri Lanka but this is in Canada where the system of Justice is independant and impartial. Another case is the one in UK in which R. Jayadevan claimed damages against the pro-LTTE Radio service, IBC, and was granted over GBP 35,000. So would you call that, perhaps the Judge favoured Jayadevan as against the LTTE.

        • 6
          5

          now you are slandering IBC as pro LTTE as Rohan did Tamil Canadian.

          I challenge you openly accuse IBC as LTTE fron organisation and wait the out come, and have £35k in the bank.

        • 5
          1

          is that the kalla pusari??

      • 12
        8

        Native,

        LTTE was declared a terrorist outfit in 2006 by Ottawa. Canadian legal system was in hybernation until then.

        Canadian legal system could not deal any blows to either LTTE or the LTTE rump in Canada until 2006. Even once they were banned their was no real vigour to haul in Canada based LTTE monkeys. Kind of passion they display when they tackle Al Qaeda is totally absent.

        LTTE & The LTTE rump had a free run for 25 years terrorisng Sri Lanka. With funds were raised on Canadian soil. Results of their bloody carnage was whitewashed with propaganda & lobbying run from Canadian soil.

        Well LTTE is vanquished in Sri Lanka thanks to SLA. LTTE Rump is still there in Canada.

        They are busy orrupting and manipulating the system. Under lofty names such as CTC. Apparently to promote “Human Rights” in Sri Lanka. Ha..ha!

        Cheers!

        • 13
          12

          Who Terrorized Tamils for 65 years?
          SLA is made up of 100% Sinhala Racist criminals.
          SLA raped hundreds of Tamil women.
          SLA massacred thousands of innocent civilians.
          SLA murdered number of Journalists.
          SLA burnt Jaffna Library.

          • 11
            7

            Who Killed innocent civilians who were mere passengers on buses

            Who i the world holds the record of shooting worshippers while engaged in Prayer in a Masjid

            Who did that twice?

            Who ethnically cleansed the Muslims from the North while THE WHOLE WORLD looked on?

            Who planted bombs in an around Colombo and caused carnage?

            Who were financed by the so called “diaspora” based in the WEST?

            • 1
              4

              Than you accepted Ajith Comments…………

            • 3
              2

              Who farted in your mouth? Mahinda Jarawapassa?snowdonwesigeputha

        • 10
          11

          Typical bloody Sinhala modaya worse believer of Jaffna library burnt by LTTE. Ben curly, fool do you know whole western world banned LTTE LOnG LONG TIME ago. Do you still believe Sinhala foolish army can defeat LTTE easily as you think. Bloody modaya we know u r Sinhala modaya armies capability. If they don’t banned LTTE Sinhala barbarians still beg whole world to ban them. I am not going to blame you, I blame whole world trust your Sinhala barbarians. Hope every thing will soon change….. GOD BLESS TAMILS AND THEIR LAND…

          • 10
            8

            Ajith/Muthu

            Both of you are Tamil Madayans and racist barbarians. Prabakaran, through his diaspora agents, begged foreign governments and human rights organizations to save him from certain death. Though he sent innocent kids to die as suicide killers, he was shitting in his pants when he was surrounded by the SLA. He was a pathetic coward, he was afraid to swallow his cyanide capsule. What a shame. He and his top commanders died like dogs, getting shot in the butt while trying to run away from the battlefield. What are you two talking about you morons. Today the Tamils are free because of the SLA. You don’t want to accept the truth, so keep making up stories. You Tamil madayans just speak to the Tamil people who witnessed everything at Mullivaikkal and managed to survive. Or read the reports of the foreign intelligence agencies.

            • 7
              6

              Point Man

              “Today the Tamils are free because of the SLA.”

              Pointless man,

              Absence of war is not presence of peace.

              Who is going to free the entire population of this island from Sinhala/Buddhist hegemony exercised by the clan through the same arm forces?

              It was not just the armed forces which destroyed LTTE, it was a joint venture by 30 odd countries to eliminate “Tamil Terrorism”. In fact that was how the International Community destroyed Sinhala/Buddhist terrorism in the South.

              The question is who created the situation in which both Tamil and Sinhala/Buddhist terrorism flourished and survived for many years?

              And why?

              • 3
                3

                Absence of war is peace, but it may not necessarily be peace of mind!

            • 2
              3

              Well said Point Man ! The truth hurts we Thamizh.

          • 6
            2

            J.Muthu

            “Do you still believe Sinhala foolish army can defeat LTTE easily as you think.”

            Yes I did believe and I do believe Lankan forces could defeat LTTE not because the Armed forces are brave and clever but because of VP’s sheer stupidity.

            LTTE never had any friends.
            LTTE had created many enemies.
            LTTE continued to alienate its own people.
            LTTE didn’t want to face changing international perspective
            LTTE never earned friendship among other communities.
            LTTE was driven by hatred for humanity.
            LTTE never believed in people struggle.
            LTTE’s Tamil Eelam demand was dead on arrival in 1976.

            There are other million reasons to add.

            Above all its major liability was its Thalaivar the psychopath VP.

            • 7
              6

              I like this Native Vedda better than the one above.

              • 5
                5

                Pointscrew,

                When you continuously keep your head between your legs you can never imagine if you had no imagination what things would be like.

            • 6
              6

              Dear Native,
              I agree with you, I still respect most cadres of LTTE. They believed freedom of Tamil people from Sinhala Buddhist. What can I say one mans madness we all paid huge price….hope now whole world know the true picture of this curse land….

              • 4
                1

                J.Muthu

                The West and India knew everything what went on in North, East, West and South.

                Why didn’t they stop all wars? In fact true to their nature all powers were with the Sri Lankan state.

                That should have indicated to you LTTE was doomed similar to what had happened to JVP and Wijayweera.

                Don’t fall for the West’s pretense.

        • 8
          2

          Ben Hurling

          “Canadian legal system could not deal any blows to either LTTE or the LTTE rump in Canada until 2006.”

          It was just after India seriously decided finish off LTTE. Prior to 2006 India convinced Chandrika to take on the LTTE and backed Sri Lanka with training and provided other support, including financial assistance.

          In 2008 some 30 countries met and agreed on a strategy to wipe out the LTTE lock, stock and barrel.

          The thirty year war was though home grown it had international dimension since 1983.

          If you don’t want to witness another 30 year war, you might as well revisit last 66 years of politics and history.

          Sinhala/Buddhist naively believed and still believe this country by virtue of Mahavamsa exclusively belonged to them. However the clan believes the entire island belongs to them.

          Sinhala/Buddhists refused to share the island’s resources and political power with other minorities. Now the clan is refusing share the island’s resources and political power with rest the people.

          On the one hand Sinhala/Buddhists are making much ado about the clan on the other they themselves are unwilling power with other minorities.

          It is bit odd isn’t it?

          How did this island under majoritarian rule (democracy)arrive at this juncture?

          All because the majority people have been politically greedy.

        • 5
          1

          You never seen the junctions most of the ltte thugs haunted before or after at toronto nor asked the whites there how they feel now after harper did the ltte and somali.

          You are simply an offshot fascist paid to troll on every CT page 24/7/53

        • 3
          0

          Ben Hurling

          It is the habitual and selective forgetfulness of the Sinhala/Buddhists that has to be pointed here and now.

          LTTE was not banned in this island until 7th January 2009.

          I haven’t read in any of your comments questioning the Sri Lankan state for its lapses including its failure to contemplate the idea of proscribing Alexander Joseph “Lex” Luthor V Prabharan’s LTTE while it was fighting a war.

          Why didn’t the Lankies ban LTTE the arch enemy of the state until 7 January 2009?

          Hypocrisy loses its meaning when you question Canada’s inaction.

      • 8
        5

        Their(west) legal systems are efficient only when their internal matters are concerned. Remember UK banning LTTE but not been able to find Anton Balasingham?, Adela still roaming free plotting the next move?

      • 5
        4

        Native veddha, the LTTE rump is all in the UPFA government, not in Canada.

        • 5
          2

          Tamil from the North

          “Native veddha, the LTTE rump is all in the UPFA government, not in Canada.”

          Many moons ago, I mentioned that Pottu Amman’s operatives are now being employed by Defense Establishment and directly answerable to Gota.

          Middle ranking officers of armed forces are bit worried about these Pottu Amman’s rumps. Information about their activities passes through informal channels to their Lokka swiftly.

          Where is Pottu Amman?

          • 3
            2

            Pottu Amman is hiding in MR’s dress? How the hell would I know about a guy who is like a phantom? I am only talking about the guys I can see with my own eyes where they are………Karuna amman, Pillayan, KP, Daya Master…………and all other ex-LTTErs

            • 2
              2

              Tamil from the North

              “Pottu Amman is hiding in MR’s dress? How the hell would I know about a guy who is like a phantom?”

              You should take every effort to solve this mystery.

              • 1
                3

                @Native Veddha: I said he may be in Pakse’s vetti. There are many bum suckers in this thread, ask one of them as they spend a lot of time inside his vetti. One of them may be able to find this butcher of many Tamils, Sinhalese and Muslims. This Pottu Amman bugger has murdered many innocent people and he may be hanging around with the father of all murderers to gain a better knowledge of how he does it. :)

                • 2
                  2

                  Tamil from the North

                  Am I right in thinking Pottu is sharing a bed with Gota while Gota’s wife sleeps in the spare room?

                  • 0
                    1

                    Pottu Amman is in Ghana.

      • 0
        1

        And the [Edited out], Goonratana Majjansara rocks his dilos all around to crimp in with crumps.

    • 8
      1

      He says the Sri Lankan government labels all Tamils as terrorists. Can anyone honestly believe that?

      • 5
        9

        in the promotional video Reconciliation and Rebuilding the GOSL was quoted as saying that the LTTE carders fled Sri Lanka and are now living all over the world “the diaspora”

        The GOLS is implying that all Tamil Diaspora are ex LTTE Carders and hence Terrorist.

        • 5
          2

          exactly like on this site if you have a comment favouring the tamil that is true.
          The sick part is to have people at airports to ask if you are tamil or sinhalese because you are born within the island though you hold a different passport and have never visited for many decades.

      • 2
        6

        If you read the Government mouthpieces, you will notice that ant Tamil critical of the GOSL and yearning for justice is smeared as LTTE lite.

      • 0
        0

        Then otherwise, if you not being Rajan.

    • 4
      5

      Excerpted from
      The Age: Analyse This

      Gary Hughes, 20 July 2003

      Gunaratna’s credentials in biographical information published in books, magazines, newspapers and on the internet, are at first glance impressive. His book Inside Al Qaeda states: “Rohan Gunaratna, the author of six books on armed conflict, was called to address the United Nations, the US Congress and the Australian Parliament in the wake of September 11, 2001. He is a research fellow at the Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence, St Andrews University, Scotland. Previously, Gunaratna was principal investigator of the United Nations’ Terrorism Prevention Branch and he has served as a consultant on terrorism to several governments and corporations.”
      After The Sunday Age made detailed checks on Gunaratna’s biographical details, he confirmed last week that there was no such position as principal investigator at the UN’s Terrorism Prevention Branch and he worked there in 2001-02 as a research consultant. He also confirmed that, rather than directly addressing the UN, Congress and the Australian Parliament, he had actually spoken at a seminar organised by the parliamentary library, given evidence to a congressional hearing on terrorism and delivered a research paper to a conference on terrorism organised by the UN’s Department for Disarmament Affairs.

      • 2
        5

        Oliver North coined the phrase “Economical with the Truth”
        you could coin a phrase Rohan has been “genorous with the lies”

      • 3
        3

        Rohan Gunaratna is no more a credible Defence-Security expert of “international repute” than that motor mechanic Eliyantha White who fooled Mahinda Rajapakse with his “miraculuous healing powers” It did not surprise many locally the gullible MR was sold to this Dr. White racket that he unsolicited recommended to leading Indian cricketers like Tendulkar, among others, who flew down here in private planes and later, on returning to India, found White was using nothing more than Prednisolone-based stuff. MR has been a subject of jokes in Delhi since and before.

        The common factor between White, who is now banned to go near the Rajapakses = and Gunaratne is they are both unforgiving frauds.

        Kettikaran

        • 1
          2

          I am delighted,this fraud Rohan has at last been exposed and has to pay,thanks to the Canadian Justice
          System unlike ours.

  • 4
    4

    Jayalalithaa govt to release seven convicted for killing Rajiv Gandhi

    http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/jayalalithaa-release-of-rajiv-gandhi-killers-dmk-aiadmk/1/344319.html

    “Seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, including Nalini, would be freed, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa said on Wednesday.

    Announcing the government’s decision in the assembly, Jayalalithaa said the government would release V.Sriharan alias Murugan, A.G. Perarivalan alias Arivu, T. Suthendraraja alias Santhan, Nalini, Robert Payas, Jayakumar and Ravichandran, reported IANS.

    All the seven are convicts in the former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.

    The Supreme Court had on Tuesday commuted the death sentence to Murugan, Perarivalan, and Santhan citing an 11-year delay in deciding their mercy petitions.

    The decision to release them was taken in the cabinet meeting held Wednesday.

    Jayalalithaa said the state government’s decision will be sent to the centre. If it does not respond within three days, the state government would release all the seven convicts.

    MDMK chief Vaiko said it was “a bold and historic decision by Jayalalithaa”.
    Rajiv Gandhi was killed in May 1991. The conspirators were convicted by a TADA court in January 1998 and were awarded death sentence, which was confirmed by the apex court May 11, 1999.”

  • 5
    2

    Robert R, Absolutely true!

  • 10
    7

    That’s why it is said, “Law is an Ass.”

    • 3
      3

      certainly in Sri Lanka Law is indeed and ass.

  • 8
    10

    Gunaratna is a self appointed “terrorism expert” who quotes other sources to blacken tamils everywhere by labelling them “‘LTTE’ terrorists”.
    He has been taught a bitter lesson by the canadian judge.

    This serves as a warning to all who irresponsibly speak of “rump LTTE”‘
    “LTTE proxies”,”tamil terrorists” etc. without any proof – merely because they voice the sentiments of tamils worldwide, expressing a desire to live as free and equal members of society in sri lanka,which is their birthright, and protesting the way lankan tamils are denied justice in sri lanka.

  • 21
    8

    Similarly the LTTE rump organizations and their lackeys, many of whom are the most vociferous on CT, should be sued their pants off for linking their critics to the MR regime.

    • 9
      8

      You don’t seem to understand that on the net one can accuse others of such and such based on postings. This can’t be called defamation because all parties are annonymous..

  • 13
    12

    Roahn Gunaratne’s his mask taken off at last.

    • 9
      10

      More like Canada’s hypocrisy is exposed. Lol Canadian Tamils having no links with LTTE.

      • 3
        1

        Hahaha that joke just made my day. Though we all know it’s not all Canadian Tamils.

    • 5
      5

      RG is famous for plagiarism

  • 6
    4

    Ok now, how to collect the money ?

    • 7
      3

      and what to use it for?

      • 6
        5

        Bribing some more corrupt politicians is my guess.

    • 1
      8

      Are you saying because Gunaratna is in Singapore, he won’t be compelled to pay? He can appeal, but cannot ignore the verdict and hide in Singapore. His salary from his employer can be targeted. It will get on his credit history. And with a court judgement, there are bounty hunters who have ways of tracking a person’s travels and capturing his assets. I would say never ignore a court judgement.

      • 3
        6

        Canada’s court is NOT a world court. IF and when Gunaratna the ass sets foot on Canadian Soil, may be he can be targeted… He is a self made expert who has been hyped..

        • 1
          4

          But a judgement in a Canadian court can be used to pursue damages in countries that have some reciprocal arrangements with Canada, including the US and UK, and probably Singapore as well. It might involve some extra expense of court filings for those who pursue it, but make no mistake, these verdicts will follow people in most developed countries.

      • 8
        3

        Yeah Right!

    • 4
      5

      Money is not the important part here. TCC is actively working on how to collect this money.

      • 2
        2

        Its not the money for him either but if he accepts the judgement and decides to pay $1 per week he would be done internationally.Good Luck hunting the mercenary no 1.How about paramilitary? ;)

        • 2
          2

          Ideally TCC should use Canada’s good offices and shut down his office at Singapore which uses the words “International” because he is weak on that already.

  • 11
    9

    Rohan Gunaratne is a fraud. This is a good lesson for him. He has on numerous occasions made contradictory remarks. He is a self appointed “Terrorism Specialist” in the payroll of the Regime.

  • 9
    8

    Rohan Guunaratna has been masquerading for a long time. I totally agree with the term “self proclaimed”. He can be a poser, as the top brass of the government are not very bright and can’t see through his act.

    If he had an ounce of commitment towards Sri Lanka and its citizenry he would not be prancing around with the likes of Gotabaya and defending such a brutal regime. He know full well when he talks nonsense that he is trying to hoodwink the public.

    Well Dr Gunaratna, you have been caught with your pants down. Learn your lesson now and don’t open yor big mouth without thinking long and hard.First you are a failed scientist. Now a failed terrorism expert, whatever that subject is.

  • 4
    11

    Rohan is one of the qualified researchers in Terrorism, like other scholars who specialized in their own field. There are many other scholars who specialized in Terrorism. However his recent writings and activities show that he himself thinks that HE IS THE EXPERT in Conflict, War and Terrorism related Issues.

    Rohan, you may learn a lot from the books, but still you have many things to learn from the FIELD.

    Better to apologize from CTC and be a genuine scholar who rightly analyse terrorism as well as Sri Lankan state rather than handshaking with Gota.

    • 5
      3

      “Rohan is one of the qualified researchers in Terrorism”

      Is he?. Let’s see what the Age in Australia, the Scopp in NZ, Critical Asian Studies, a peer-reviewed journal etc say about this man’s expertise in the area.

      Excerpts from an investigative piece on the man from Age of July 20 2003 (http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/07/20/1058545648013.html)

      [Edited out]

      • 1
        2

        Despite much doubt and criticism on Rohan Gunaratna, I believe
        he should not be dismissed entirely as a fraud. He clearly has
        done much research work in his expert field. However, next
        time he accepts a speaking engagement in a major Indian city
        he must stay and answer questions. Many noted Indian analysts have told us he virtually runs away and does not subject his addresses for due scrutiny and clarification.

        BTW, whatever happened to Prof. Ralph Buultjens who made quite a
        wave here in the late 1980s?

        R. Varathan

        • 0
          1

          “Many noted Indian analysts have told us he virtually runs away and does not subject his addresses for due scrutiny and clarification.”

          A trait of a pseudo expert!!

    • 5
      5

      Ha Ha Ha Ha EXPERT

      EX IS A HAS BEEN

      SPURT IS A SPLASH IN THE MUD

      (^O^)

    • 4
      2

      Pls read the following articles and papers in addition to the one from the Age newspaper as they bust Rohan’s expertise:

      Scoop New Zealand: Terrorism Expertise of Rohan Gunaratna Questioned – David Small, 24 August 2004

      War on Error and the Southern Fire: How terrorism analysts get it wrong – Michael K. Connors, Critical Asian Studies journal

      Since my previous comment was edited out let me add my questions below:

      My question to all those who consider him an expert: If he is in fact an expert as he claims why then has he continuously engaged in stretching the truth regarding his own profile and contribution to the subject matter?. Why hasn’t he admitted that at least some of his grandiose claims were not true?. If he is an expert how come his most popular book is replete with factual errors as pointed by articles above and reviewers on Amazon?. One would expect a scholar to practice the highest standard of ethics and take ownership where he/she is wrong. And as readers and consumers of information we have the right to expect a high standard of integrity from experts and academics.

  • 4
    5

    It appears that this case was one sided and was heard without the accused Gunaratna’s input. Was Gunaratna or his lawyer/s present for the hearing? Why no mention about their statements?

    CTC is [Edited out] Part of this comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2/

  • 5
    2

    Rohan Gunaratne’s lies are starting to hurt him financially. The man is a fraud and this is, I hope, the first of many more victories for the victims of his lies. The man is a dyed in the wool Sinhala racist and Rajapaksa sycophant and should be exposed as a charlatan in the payroll of the Rajapaksas.

  • 10
    4

    The irony is by taking this action CTC is proclaiming to the whole world it is an insult, a defamation, to be associated with the LTTE. Maveeran Prabakaran is now relegated to the level of a pariah.

  • 9
    2

    Imagine the money Gota can earn by suing everyone who connects him to BBS. Luckily we don’t have jokers ruling our courts like Canada do. How can a Judge in Canada decide on links a terrorist organization had? Like terrorists work in open?

    Clowns of Canada are taking their jokes too far.

    • 2
      4

      I doubt he will make much as BBS will come on the witness box and boast that Gota is indeed thier aptron. Poor Gota may end paying the legal fees for both parties.

      however imagine if all Tamil Diaspora get together and sue Gene Randall, who alleges in his video “Reconciliation and Rebuilding” that Tamil Diaspora are ex LTTE carders?

      How much damages the diaspora can claim?

      • 4
        1

        Plenty in a country like Canada that openly supported terrorism until Bin Laden decided to hijack some planes. None in an unbiased country.

    • 2
      2

      “Luckily we don’t have jokers ruling our courts like Canada do”

      You have a big joker Mohan Pieris https://www.colombotelegraph.com/?s=Mohan+Pieris&x=12&y=8

  • 2
    4

    The amount awarded is not enough but the ruling has given much more than money. The case sets precedence in a court of law in no uncertain terms.
    “‘In his ruling, Justice Firestone said Gunaratna’s statements “were clearly defamatory, either directly or by innuendo, because they imply CTC is involved in the commission of violent and illegal activity…

    “It is unequivocal and uncontroverted that these statements were, in fact, false and untrue.”

    Many that support the govt has tried to demonize CTC by attaching it to LTTE. Now its time to go after each one of them individually and as a group.

  • 2
    3

    Who is paying,is it the Srilankan tax payers?

    • 0
      0

      Read the link above given by bull dust. He has dosh from his books etc. perhaps enough to challenge or sink.

  • 3
    4

    Bloody Tamils are always on the wrong side of the law. It is not news because it is so frequent.

  • 3
    4

    CTC is still a banned front organization in Canada.

    LTTE too.

    So celebrations are short lived!!

  • 1
    2

    Atleast if the guy is a reasonable scholar who has done some real research and written anything of substance we can feel sorry for this bootlicker.

    The sad fact is that the guy has a brain the size of a peanut and he has become a terrorism expert because that is the only field you dont need qualifications… you just have had to manage a grocery store like Gota and then you become an expert….

    I think M. Roberts is also fast becoming an expert….in the same vein..but atleast he had a brain.

  • 1
    2

    He likes to say what persons of importance wish to hear. One day, such persons are bound to get caught. He has the capacity to be all things to all men. He even claimed to be as good as the Mossad. Bensen

  • 2
    2

    ‘Dr.’ Rohan Gunaratne is a self styled terrorism expert who has no real claim to being an expert in any field.His studies is confined to agriculture.This is a damn good lesson for him and others of his ilk who publish articles without reliable material and use their poison pens to hurl untruths and distortions and to worm their way into top echelons of power.Others include Shamindra Fernando of The Island newspaper who pretends that he is privy to all that happens in the portals of Diplomatic and Defense circles.Let them learn lessons the hard way.

    • 0
      2

      Yes the University he works full of jokers claiming as professors.

  • 2
    2

    Now his work place (Third class University) must be sacked him.

  • 0
    1

    This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2/

  • 2
    3

    ROHAN GUNARATNA – A MAN WITH VESTED INTERESTS!

    The destruction of New York’s World Trade Towers – was the launch of a stellar new career as a global authority on international terrorism when world’s media outlets were looking for experts to interpret how and why the world had changed and the Sri Lanka-born academic was great “talent”, and no one seemed to worry that, until the 9/11 attacks, Gunaratna’s acknowledged expertise had been largely confined to the activities of Sri Lanka’s Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, or the Tamil Tigers.

    Gunaratna, 52, had ridden a wave of success driven by the basic laws of supply and demand – there were not enough experts to meet the demand from the media and publishers for intelligence analysts able to provide a catchy quote or headline. Gunaratna was also seized upon by the Australian media as the leading authority on Islamic terrorism, particularly after the Bali bombing. But Gunaratna, who blur the distinction between academic analysis and politics and base research on information from anonymous intelligence sources, were causing concern in some circles too.

    Members of Australia’s intelligence community, and in particular ASIO, are known to be dismissive of many of Gunaratna’s more sensational statements, such as claims that alleged military chief of the Jemaah Islamiyah network and senior al-Qaeda member Hambali had regularly visited Australia.

    In Britain, The Observer newspaper’s home affairs editor and long-time writer on Islamic terrorist groups, Martin Bright, describes Gunaratna as “the least reliable of the experts on bin Laden”.

    In Australia, journalist and commentator on intelligence issues Brian Toohey is one of the few to have openly questioned Gunaratna’s credentials, describing him as a “self-proclaimed expert” and dismissing some of his claims as “plain silly”. He uses as an example a warning by Gunaratna published in November 2001 in the Australia/Israel and Jewish Affairs Council Review that terrorist groups might try to influence Australian politicians by rallying “10,000 or 20,000 votes” in their electorates.

    Gunaratna’s credentials in biographical information published in books, magazines, newspapers and on the internet, are at first glance impressive. His book Inside Al Qaeda states: “Rohan Gunaratna, the author of six books on armed conflict, was called to address the United Nations, the US Congress and the Australian Parliament in the wake of September 11, 2001. He is a research fellow at the Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence, St Andrews University, Scotland. Previously, Gunaratna was principal investigator of the United Nations’ Terrorism Prevention Branch and he has served as a consultant on terrorism to several governments and corporations.”

    After The Sunday Age made detailed checks on Gunaratna’s biographical details, he confirmed that there was no such position as principal investigator at the UN’s Terrorism Prevention Branch and he worked there in 2001-02 as a research consultant. He also confirmed that, rather than directly addressing the UN, Congress and the Australian Parliament, he had actually spoken at a seminar organized by the parliamentary library, given evidence to a congressional hearing on terrorism and delivered a research paper to a conference on terrorism organized by the UN’s Department for Disarmament Affairs.

    Gunaratna worked for the Sri Lanka Government between 1984 and 1994 and did much of his work on the Tamil Tigers’ international links while studying in the United States in 1995-96. It was then that he began establishing important friends in the small world of intelligence analysis. Gunaratna moved to Scotland to complete his doctorate at St Andrews and work as a research fellow at the terrorism and political violence centre. He also got open access to the centre’s large terrorism database, one of just a small handful of such databases scattered around the world. The database is a combination of material gathered by St Andrews and the Rand Corporation, the non-profit US thinktank established by the US Air Force. Now known as the RAND-St Andrews database on Terrorism and Low Intensity Conflict, it is largely maintained and updated by more than 30 students who comb the internet and newspapers and magazines from around the world for information on terrorist operations. . Bruce Hoffman (Gunaratna used to work for Bruce), the founder of the St Andrews centre for terrorism study, is now a vice-president of Rand and chief of its Washington office. And Rand, St Andrews, Gunaratna and Jane’s worked together last year as private advisers to Risk Management Solutions, helping the private American corporation develop a “US terrorism risk model” to sell to insurance companies worried about terrorist strikes.

    Rand, in turn, is linked to the $US3.5 billion Carlyle Group, which holds stakes in some of the world’s biggest arms and defense corporations, through the former US defense secretary and deputy CIA director Frank Carlucci, who is chairman of the group and a Rand board member. The Carlyle Group employs former President George Bush as a senior adviser, uses former US Secretary of State James Baker as its senior counselor and has former British Prime Minister John Major as chairman of its European arm. Earlier this year, it bought a third of QinetiQ, the company floated by Britain’s Ministry of Defense to commercially exploit non-secret security and defense technology. QinteQ has been negotiating with the British Government to buy the soon-to-be-privatized Security, Languages, Intelligence and Photography College, where British spies are trained. In his biographical details on the site of the Institute of Defense and Strategic Studies in Singapore, where he is an assistant professor, Gunaratna states one of his past positions was “principal investigator, QinetiQ Project on Terrorist Information Operations”.

    Gunaratna moved to Singapore to help establish a regional centre for terrorism research at the Institute of Defense and Strategic Studies at Nanyang Technological University, where he is titled assistant professor. Not surprisingly, the centre piece of the new research centre is a database on terrorist activities in the Asia-Pacific region. Gunaratna says his expertise on al-Qaeda comes from interviews with the group’s “penultimate leadership” and rank and file members, hundreds of documents seized after the invasion of Afghanistan and the debriefings of al-Qaeda suspects in more than a dozen countries.

    It was that kind of information that led him in March to state definitively that Australian David Hicks, who has been detained at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba after his capture in Afghanistan, was “not a member of al-Qaeda”, “did not plan to attack civilian targets”, “never intended to attack a civilian target” and was a “romantic” not taken seriously by other Taliban fighters. Eyebrows were raised among fellow intelligence analysts when Gunaratna reversed his position on Hicks later, after the US announced the Australian was one of six detainees it had enough evidence against to put before a military tribunal. This time Gunaratna, said Hicks had undergone “more advance and more specialized training” with al-Qaeda, which “had some special plans for him”. Gunaratna attributed his change of heart to information gained from “more recent investigations” and given to him by sources he refused to identify.

    • 2
      2

      Rohan Gune,

      Must soon be enshrined in person at Guantanamo Bay for life so that he learns Persian Pushto and Urdu if not arabic because everything he says comes from the Sihala culture of Bali Holman- 2500years ago Vijaya the bestiality breed.

      The SOB sends people for life with any killing. ha ha

    • 1
      2

      Good detailed analysis Fazl….Hats off to you….

  • 2
    3

    Rohan Gunaratna’s academic qualifications and his ‘publications’ and his opinions are two different things. He is a man with vested interests and he gets paid to do what he does. That is his bread & butter. Trust me when I tell you that this man WILL NOT tell the governments of USA, UK, Australia or even SL what they DO NOT want to hear… WHAT HE DOES IS GIVE A SENSE OF LEGITIMACY FOR INVASION OR SUPPRESSION (whatever is applicable) TO THE RESPECTIVE GOVERNMENTS! Hence, it is not surprising that ‘many governments’ subscribing to the BS this man has to offer!

    Dr. Bruce Hoffman with whom Rohan Gunaratna works is a Director of RAND Corporation, funded by the US government which in turn is linked to the Carlyle Group, the major arms & logistics partner in the ‘war on terror’ in Afghanistan and Iraq… Need I say more about skewed reports and vested interests?? And should we be reminded of doctored documents and reports like the ones which led to the Iraq invasion prepared by ‘experts’ in the calibre of Dr. Bruce and Rohan Gunaratna?

    http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2003/08/guna-a08.html

    https://www3.nd.edu/~newsinfo/pdf/2007_07_03_pdf/Terrorism%20author%20testifies%20in%20Padilla%20trial.pdf

    • 9
      4

      Muhammed Fazl

      You are absolutely right. Rohan Gunaratna’s reports are his bread and butter, unlike in the case of Navi Pillay, AI, HRW, Frances Harrison, Gordon Weiss, Callum Macrae, CPA ….et al…

      • 4
        5

        Rohan Gunaratna’ made use of the fact that Thailand is the rendition centre Teravada Budhist.Thailand assisted the Japenese to murder millions of unarmed folk WW2 and have not apologised. Sinhal Buddhist dont apologise too- its part of your religious culture!

  • 2
    3

    This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2/

  • 6
    3

    This is a joke for many Tamil Canadians. Canadian Tamil Congress accept only LTTE supporters as members. No one defended Rohan in the courts.

    LTTE is banned but Canadian government never went behind the “money trail” of the LTTE. Harper government let the LTTE fronts run as usual.

    To create a public opinion Harper banned the LTTE and never banned many LTTE fronts like CTC. In USA former secretary of the CTC is charged on illegal arms buying and sentenced to 10 years. But Canadian law enforcements never take any action on the issue. It means Canadian government support LTTE criminals.

    This is an evidence how Canada “save” the LTTE morons.

  • 6
    4

    CTC – WEAPONS LINKS :

    [Edited out]

    Please see the link: http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/09/29/drop-tigers-jailed-arms-broker-urges.

    Part of this comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2/

    • 3
      4

      subha,
      you kattu pakkam spoiling the air.
      Its a 2011 story and his lawyer has written it for him 5 years later for clemancy and you- are you speaking from hell for brownie points?

      Have’t you got the other side of the story like the para-military murders cabinet ministers story?
      The JVP story?
      How the sky fell on the people of the north in 2009- the foreign elements involved etc.

      Bin larden was in Pakistan right next to army camp all along.

      Vajpae wanted to bomb Porkistan Bush Blair stopped it and changed the govt to kussi amma Sonia (she has not passed high school but gave an affidavit to parliament that she qualified from Cambridge specializing in English)
      Pakistani born Manmohan was made PM while Delhi born Musharaff was PM Pakistan
      Musharaff was hiding at London paid for by UK costing the tax payer £1million per month till he decided to leave and he is in jail for different reason in pakistan. 67years India is yet to get independence.NaMo is the man to bring that. Graft India= Graft Lanka stupid people run by suddhas.

    • 5
      4

      Good work Subha.

      I googled it and found the article.

      Terrorists!

      • 3
        5

        I too found fatima and mongo an al kaida operative working and deligently planning on sri lankan suicide operations for a future operation.

  • 4
    2

    Canadian tamils bought the Canada’s legal system

Leave A Comment

Comments should not exceed 200 words. Embedding external links and writing in capital letters are discouraged. Commenting is automatically disabled after 5 days and approval may take up to 24 hours. Please read our Comments Policy for further details. Your email address will not be published.