The panel of judges in The Hague hearing the case of five alleged Dutch Tamil Tigers will be allowed to continue. The Hague Chamber of Recusal has rejected a challenge to the judges from defence lawyer Victor Koppe, the Radio Netherlands reported.

The five defendants are accused of membership of a criminal terrorist organisation. The Public Prosecutor's Office is calling for 16-year jail sentences. The five are alleged to have collected money for their cause by mean of blackmail.

A Dutch police-investigation team monitored Tamil meetings in The Netherlands in a subsequent report, entitled ‘Operation Koninck’, described how certain Tamils raised funds for their ‘ultimate war’ with its goal of a free Tamil state in Sri Lanka known as Tamil Eelam. This remains no more than a dream following the death of the LTTE’s leader Velupillai Prabhakaran and the end of the military struggle in the Spring of 2009.

Operation Koninck eventually led to the arrest of several Dutch Tamils, five of whom are now being prosecuted in a specialist war crimes chamber in The Hague.

One of the accused is 46 year old Srirangam R. from The Hague. He fled to The Netherlands over two decades ago and is believed to head the Dutch division of the Tamil Tigers.

The European Union regards the Tamil Tigers as a terrorist organisation, whereas Victor Koppe sees them as freedom fighters comparable to the Libyans who ousted Muammar Gaddafi or the rebels being killed in Syria.