Sri Lanka Embassy in Washington has logged complains with the US Justice Department, State Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) against the Washington based Intelsat Ltd., for reneging its promise of removing the National Television of Tamil Eelam (NTT) channel and Pulikalin Kural radio from the Intelsat 12 satellite transponder and for continuing to facilitate and broadcast terrorist propaganda.

Before lodging the complaint, Sri Lanka Embassy brought to the notice of the communication satellite company that despite its assurance that it has removed both channels from its transponder, it continues to broadcast National Television of Tamil Eelam, and Pulikalin Kural (Voice of Tigers radio) the official television and radio of the LTTE outfit.

On the contrary Intelsat Ltd., according to sources, laid down condition to Sri Lanka Embassy that talks with them should not be publicized or divulged to anyone which the embassy refused even to consider.

Subsequently, Sri Lanka Embassy has alleged that the satellite provider is violating US law by continuing to broadcast the propaganda television and radio services of the foreign terrorist organization LTTE, through the satellite they own despite public assurances given weeks ago to the contrary.

National Television of Tamil Eelam, the official television channel of the LTTE is a free to air channel to Asia and an encrypted channel to Europe.

The four hour daily program of the NTT channel used to broadcast propaganda material of the LTTE which is a terrorist's organization banned in United States of America, Canada, India and in the European Union countries.

The illegal transmission of the NTT channel of the LTTE was for the first time brought to the notice of the Intelsat Ltd by Asian Tribune on March 10.

Ms. Dianne VanBeber, Intelsat LTd Vice President in charge of Investor Relations and corporate communication, "Asian Tribune" that Sri Lanka's terrorists' outfit LTTE is presently pirating the Intelsat's 12 bandwidth without the knowledge of the company.

"Intelsat has notified the original customer for the capacity that they are in violation of their contract, and Intelsat has informed them to cease transmissions," Diam Beever said.

When asked to identify the original customer of the Intelsat, Dianne VanBeber refused to disclose the name of the service provider who gas accommodated the LTTE's media without the knowledge of the Intelsat Ltd.

When asked whether Intelsat was not aware of the fact that LTTE's National Television of Tamileelam was using the Intelsat 12 satellite bandwidth since 2005.

Dianne VanBeber clarified that the Intelsat Ltd acquired PanAmSat only on July 3, 2006, and LTTE's National Television of Tamil Eelam might have come to share quietly the Intelsat 12 satellite.

She said, "We are taking actions to cease their transmission soon. " Subsequently this issue was taken up by Bernard Goonetileke, Sri lanka's Ambassador in Washington with Intelsat's General Counsel, Phillip Spector.

A press statement was released by the Intelsat after the meeting.

In a press statement dated April 10 the Intelsat Corporation said, "Intelsat officials, including its technical experts, met with Sri Lanka's Ambassador to the United States, Bernard Goonetilleke, on 10 April to discuss the steps Intelsat is taking to address the unauthorized use of one of its satellites by the LTTE.

During the meeting, Intelsat's General Counsel, Phillip Spector, "Intelsat does not tolerate terrorists or others operating illegally on its satellites. Since we first learned of the LTTE's signal piracy, we have been actively pursuing a number of technical alternatives to halt the transmissions. We are clear in our resolve to ending this terrorist organization's unauthorized use of our satellite."

Later, Sri Lanka embassy revealed that Intelsat Ltd., stated that during the weekend of April 21-22 they switched off the transponder of the free to air NTTE channel beamed to Asia and the encrypted channel beamed to Europe.

Courtesy - Asian Tribune