Tamil Baptist priest arrested in Norway for pocketing tsunami funds

The Reverend in the Tamil Baptist Community in Oslo was yesterday charged with serious embezzlement. The police believe the Reverend may have embezzled NOK half a million (Sri Lankan Rs 8.5 million) from money to the victims of the tsunami in Sri Lanka. The 42-year-old man was reported by his own congregation.

The priest, whose name is withheld in accordance with Norwegian law, has close links with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the police investigators are looking into the possibility of money being siphoned off for arms purchase by the Tamil militants. His bank accounts have been frozen under the court order. “But most of the funds disappeared before the accounts were seized,” Police said.