British Parliament Approves Ban on LTTE

Peoples Daily, 16 March 2001

The British Parliament approved Wednesday (14 March 2001) the list of proscribed foreign organizations as terrorist under its new anti-terrorism law, which included Sri Lanka's separatist Tamil Tiger rebels, according to reports Friday.

Speaking at the Parliament Home Secretary Jack Straw had said that the new anti-terrorism act brings British provisions into line with the European convention on human rights and ensures that Britain is better able to deal with the serious threat that terrorism poses.

He added that he had gone through the documentation and submissions provided by British Intelligence Services and others at considerable length.

Straw recommended late last month in a written statement to the parliament that Sri Lanka's Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) be included in the list of 21 London-based "foreign terrorist organizations" banned under Britain's new anti-terrorism act which went into effect on February 19.

In their London-based International Secretariat the LTTE rebels launched a propaganda campaign against the government and raised funds for fighting against government forces in the north and east of the country for an independent Tamil state.