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.
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