Indian arrested in London; faces extradition to US for funding terrorist org | World News

A 66-year-old Indian citizen Sundar Nagarajan has been arrested in London on suspicion of funding the proscribed terrorist organisation Hizbollah, British police talked about.

“Sundar Nagarajan, (27.08.57) of Hayes UB3, was taken into police custody sooner than exhibiting at Westminster Magistrates’ Courtroom docket this afternoon for commencement of extradition proceedings,” be taught the Metropolitan Police press launch.

Officers from the Nationwide Extradition Unit – acting on a worldwide arrest warrant – detained Nagarajan from west London following a request by US authorities.

Madurai-born Sundar Nagarajan additionally known as Kasiviswanathan Naga and Nagarajan Sundar Poongulam, now faces extradition to the US the place he faces prices of serving to to launder money to evade US sanctions and fund Hizbollah.

Nagarajan was taken into police custody sooner than exhibiting at Westminster Magistrates’ Courtroom docket this afternoon for the commencement of extradition proceedings. He was remanded to subsequent appear on the same courtroom on April 25, added the discharge.

Officers from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command moreover arrested one Nazem Ahmad on suspicion of funding terrorism, as part of a wider UK and US coordinated movement concentrating on terrorism financing.

In response to the US, the Lebanese terrorist outfit Hizbollah makes use of Nazem Ahmad, and his companies, to launder substantial portions of money sure for the terrorist group and Nagarajan is the worldwide accountant for Nazem.

Ahmad is believed to be linked to a wealthy art work collector and diamond vendor and is suspected of being a funding provide for Hizballah, talked about Metropolitan Police.Sanctions in the direction of Ahmad have been launched earlier at the moment by the UK Authorities. The US authorities moreover launched sanctions in the direction of Ahmad and lots of his associates, added the discharge.

“Proper now’s arrests are the outcomes of ongoing work and cooperation with our American colleagues, and are a key milestone in what’s a elaborate investigation into terrorist financing,” talked about Detective Chief Superintendent Gareth Rees, of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command.Hezbollah is a Lebanese militant group, backed by Iran, which the UK authorities categorized as a terrorist organisation in 2019.

“Terrorist groups rely on financial help and funding for his or her actions and the NTFIU works intently with firms inside the UK and world huge to ascertain and take movement in the direction of these people who current and facilitate this funding. With our worldwide companions, we’ll on no account hand over on our mission to disrupt terrorist train, every inside the UK and abroad, with a function to keep up most of the people protected,” added Rees.

The US Treasury Division had on April 18 this week unveiled sanctions on what it talked about was a vast worldwide money laundering and sanctions evasion group, concentrating on 52 people and entities over the price and cargo of cash, diamonds, helpful gems, art work and opulent objects for the benefit of Nazem Ahmad.

The group working in Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates, South Africa, Angola, Cote d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Belgium, the UK, and Hong Kong facilitated the price, cargo, and provide of cash, diamonds, helpful gems, art work, and opulent objects for the benefit of Hizballah financier and Particularly Designated World Terrorist Nazem Acknowledged Ahmad, who was designated on December 13, 2019, for providing supplies help to Hizballah, the US Treasury Division talked about.

In response to a US Treasury Division launch, Sundar Nagarajan acted as Nazem Acknowledged Ahmad’s main worldwide accountant, providing supplies help by his administration of, and accounting for, firms in Nazem Acknowledged Ahmad’s group.

Nagarajan is the central supervisor of financial ledgers detailing the group’s operations in Hong Kong, the United Arab Emirates, and South Africa. Sundar Nagarajan moreover facilitated price for and cargo of art work that Nazem Acknowledged Ahmad purchased from principal public sale properties and galleries, it talked about.