The suspected U.S. leader of Sri Lanka's Tamil Tigers has been arrested in New York and charged with providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization.

Prosecutors say Karunakaran Kandasamy was arrested Wednesday in the New York City borough of Queens, where the American branch of the Sri Lankan group is based.

Authorities allege that Kandasamy oversaw the organization's activities, including fundraising, and was responsible for finding and channeling logistical support and other assistance.

The United States has designated Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebel group as a foreign terrorist organization.

Fighting between Tamil Tiger separatists and Sri Lanka's government has lasted for more than two decades and claimed more than 67,000 lives.