Officials at a Powys cricket club have spoken of their shock after one of its coaches was charged over alleged links to a terrorist group.
Newtown Cricket Club has suspended its youth development worker and coach, Muralee Tharan (Jegatheswaran Muraleetharan), who has been accused of conspiring to support the banned terrorist Tamil Tigers.
His brother, Jeyatheswaran Vythyatharan, also known as Vithy Tharan, of Crescent Gardens, Newtown and two other men from south London have also been charged.
Peter Davies, chairman of Newtown Cricket Club said Mr Tharan had been a coach for the club’s under 13 and under 15 teams for the last three years.
He said following news of the arrests the club had received several phone calls from concerned parents.
He said: “Newtown Cricket Club having taken advice from the appropriate authorities i.e, the Welsh Cricket Association and Lords, and have suspended youth development officer and coach Muralee Tharan from the club in the light of ongoing police investigations.
“He will be suspended until these investigations have reached their climax.
“The club would like to stress that whilst he conducted his duties with the youth section he did nothing but good to build up what is a not a very strong youth set up, which will now continue under new leadership.” he added.He said the club would be holding a meeting for concerned parents on Monday to address any issues.
All four men face a single charge of conspiring to receive equipment for terrorist purposes between January 2003 and December 2006.
They have been accused of possessing equipment including radios, computers and high powered magnets for terrorism.
Muralee, 46, and Vithy Tharan, 39, were arrested in Newtown on April 29 by officers from the Metropolitan Police counter-terrorism command following raids in Old Kerry Road, Crescent Gardens and Beechwood Drive.
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