posted February 12, 2002 01:31 PM            

The first news of the arrest was broadcast over a local Tamil radio station. Within hours it spread through shops, businesses, across phone lines and into the Scarborough temple where Ramuppillai Selvarajah waited to welcome 150 guests. He couldn't believe what he heard - in less than 24 hours, police had arrested 51 alleged Tamil gang leaders and members on criminal offences and immigration violations. Arrest warrants were issued for another nine suspects. It was the first time Selvarajah became emotional that night. The next outburst came when a friend sang a soulful melody composed in honour of Selvarajah's murdered son, marking the religious anniversary of the 17-year-old's death. There have been no arrests in that homicide but police have linked the October, 2000, killing to gang violence.

In a nearby pool hall Thursday night, Tamil youths met with Gary Anandasangaree, co-ordinator for the Canadian Tamil Youth Development Centre. They looked visibly relaxed, he said. In recent months, these youths haven't been afforded that luxury; instead their stomachs have churned every time they heard a tire screech or a loud noise, afraid to get caught in a violent gang war.

"Of the 200,000-strong Tamil population in Canada, a handful of people have made it very difficult for all of us," Anandasangaree said yesterday at a news conference, explaining why the community felt such relief after the arrests. "They have hurt the progress and the achievements and they've undermined the growth of the Tamil Canadian population."

Police Chief Julian Fantino claimed yesterday that the arrests effectively dismantled two organized crime groups: the AK Kannan and the VVT. Among those arrested are: Jothiravi Sittampalam, the alleged leader of the AK Kannan, Kailesh Thanabalasingham, who police claim is one of the VVT leaders, and Jeyaseelan Thuraisingam, known as Seelapu, who sources say is closely linked to VVT. "These gangs survive on the fear and intimidation of others as they are very violent," he said. "They attack in numbers using all types of firearms, machetes and baseball bats. Crimes often go unreported for fear of reprisal."

Police say these charges differ from past arrests because the majority of the suspects arrested over the last two days were charged under a section of the Immigration Act that prohibits association with an organized crime group. It's the first time Toronto police have classified gangs as organized crime and attempted to convict on membership alone.