Taxi driver files leave to appeal in bid to delist LTTE as terrorist group

PUTRAJAYA: Taxi driver V. Balamurugan has filed an application for leave to pursue his appeal to the Federal Court in his bid to delist the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) as a terrorist group.

In his application filed on May 13, Balamurugan had proposed five legal questions for the Federal Court to consider.

In the notice of motion, Balamurugan said the legal questions concern the scope and limits of the Home Minister's power in declaring entities under Section 66B(1) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.

Balamurugan's lawyer Omar Kutty Abdul Aziz, when contacted, confirmed the filing of the leave to appeal application.

The case is fixed for case management on June 17.

On Sept 17, 2020, the High Court dismissed Balamurugan's judicial review to delist LTTE as a terrorist group in the country. He lost his appeal at the Court of Appeal on April 14, this year.

Balamurugan had filed the judicial review seeking a declaration the LTTE details in the gazette as null and void and the listing of LTTE was unlawful as it was ultra vires to the Federal Constitution.

He named the Home Minister and the government as respondents.

He also wanted a certiorari order to quash the listing of LTTE in the gazette - Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing, and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities (Declaration of Specific Entities and Reporting Requirements (Amendment) 2014 - dated Nov 12, 2014.

Balamurugan were among 12 individuals who were charged in late 2019 over alleged support of the LTTE.

However, in February 2020, the then Attorney General Tan Sri Tommy Thomas dropped the charges against them. - Bernama