Indian man arrested in London on suspicion of funding Hezbollah

• A 66-year-old Indian man has been detained in London on the suspicion of supporting the outlawed terrorist group Hezbollah, the British police has said
• Acting on an international arrest warrant, officers from the National Extradition Unit arrested Nagarajan from west London at the direction of US authorities
• The US claims that the Lebanese terrorist organisation Hezbollah uses Nazem Ahmad and his businesses to launder substantial amounts of money intended for the terrorist organisation

A 66-year-old Indian man has been detained in London on the suspicion of supporting the outlawed terrorist group Hezbollah, the British police has said. “Sundar Nagarajan, (27.08.57) of Hayes UB3, was taken into police custody on Tuesday before appearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court this afternoon for commencement of extradition proceedings,” read the Metropolitan Police press release.

Acting on an international arrest warrant, officers from the National Extradition Unit arrested Nagarajan from west London at the direction of US authorities. Sundar Nagarajan, who was born in Madurai and goes by the names Kasiviswanathan Naga and Nagarajan Sundar Poongulam, is reportedly facing extradition to the US, where he faces charges of helping in the money launder to avoid US sanctions and finance Hezbollah.

Before appearing in Westminster Magistrates’ Court this afternoon to begin the extradition process, Nagarajan was taken into police custody. According to the release, he was remanded to appear before the same court again on April 25.As part of a larger coordinated UK and US action against terrorism financing, officers from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command also detained one Nazem Ahmad on suspicion of funding terrorism.

The US claims that the Lebanese terrorist organisation Hezbollah uses Nazem Ahmad and his businesses to launder substantial amounts of money intended for the terrorist organisation. Nagarajan serves as Nazem’s international accountant, according to the release. According to the Metropolitan Police, Ahmad is accused of providing financing to Hezbollah and is thought to be connected to a wealthy art collector and diamond dealer.

The UK government issued sanctions against Ahmad earlier today. The press release also stated that the US government has announced sanctions against Ahmad and some of his associates. According to Detective Chief Superintendent Gareth Rees of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, “Today’s arrests are the result of ongoing work and cooperation with our American colleagues and are a key milestone in what is a complex investigation into terrorist financing.”

The UK government designated Hezbollah, a Lebanese armed group supported by Iran, as a terrorist organisation in 2019. “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. 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,” Rees added.

Earlier on April 18, the US Treasury Department announced sanctions against 52 individuals and entities for their roles in the payment and shipment of cash, diamonds, precious gems, art, and luxury goods to Nazem Ahmad. The sanctions target what the US Treasury Department described as a vast international money laundering and sanctions evasion network.

The network operating in Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates, South Africa, Angola, Cote d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Belgium, the United Kingdom, and Hong Kong provided the payment, shipment, and delivery of cash, diamonds, precious gems, art, and luxury goods for Hezbollah financier and Specially Designated Global Terrorist Nazem Ahmad, the US Treasury Department said.