In terror funding crackdown, Indian man arrested in UK on US extradition warrant

An Indian national with addresses in the UK and Belgium has been arrested in London by Scotland Yard on an extradition warrant from the US, it emerged as part of a UK-US coordinated action targeting terrorism financing.

Sundar Nagarajan, also known as Nagarajan Sundar Poongulam Kasiviswanathan Naga and Sundar Poongulam K. Nagarajan Nagarajan, was arrested by the Metropolitan Police’s National Extradition Unit from an address at Hayes in west London on Tuesday. After being refused bail, the 65-year-old Madurai-born Nagarajan is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London next week wanted by the US authorities for fraud and money laundering offences. His arrest followed action by the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command to arrest a 50-year-old man in Wales on suspicion of funding terrorism.

“The ongoing investigation and arrest by the NTFIU (National Terrorist Financing Investigation Unit) relates to suspected terrorist financing and money laundering, which is believed to be connected to wealthy art collector and diamond dealer, Nazem Ahmad,” the Met Police said.

Ahmad is suspected of being a funding source for Hizballah, a proscribed terrorist organisation in the UK and US. Sanctions against Ahmad were also announced this week by the UK government alongside the US government sanctions against Ahmad and a number of his suspected associates, including Nagarajan.

“Terrorist groups rely on financial support and funding for their activities and the NTFIU works closely with agencies in the UK and around the world to identify and take action against those people who provide and facilitate this funding,” said Detective Chief Superintendent Gareth Rees, of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command.

“With our international partners, we will never give up on our mission to disrupt terrorist activity, both in the UK and abroad, in order to keep the public safe,” he said, adding that the arrests were the result of ongoing work and cooperation with American counterparts as a “key milestone in what is a complex investigation into terrorist financing”.

The Met Police said that searches at two commercial addresses, both in east London, were carried out by officers this week in connection with the investigation. The NTFIU comprises of specialist financial investigators who investigate suspicious financial activity where they believe it may have links to terrorism.

Its action in the case coincided with the US Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of New York unsealing a nine-count indictment. It is alleged that Nazem Ahmad was involved in real estate development, the international trade of diamonds, and the international acquisition and sale of artwork, and operated these enterprises through a complex web of business entities. Ahmad, a Lebanese resident and dual Belgian-Lebanese citizen, was sanctioned by the US for being a financier for Hizballah.

Nagarajan is named among his associates who used numerous corporate entities and individuals to disguise Ahmad’s control and beneficial interest in the companies and in financial transactions, and facilitate the acquisition of multiple pieces of valuable artwork and diamond-grading services for millions of dollars’ worth of diamonds from US persons, according to the US authorities.