Sri Lanka says US clear LTTE still active

The Sri Lankan Government says the United States has through a recent report made clear that the LTTE is still active and obtains funds through some diaspora organisations.

Defence Ministry spokesman, Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya told reporters today that the recent US State Department report on terrorist organisations shows that the LTTE is still a threat internationally as well as to Sri Lanka.

The US report said that the LTTE uses its international contacts and the large Tamil diaspora in North America, Europe, and Asia to procure weapons, communications, funding, and other needed supplies.

In its latest annual report on terrorism, the US State Department Bureau of Counterterrorism said the LTTE employed charities as fronts to collect and divert funds for their activities.

The Government had recently listed several groups and individuals operating overseas on the basis that they are funding the LTTE.

The listing was done under a UN Security Council resolution but Canada has said it will not abide by the listing.

Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya said that so far only Canada has said it will not accept the listing and in his view rejecting the Sri Lanka list would mean Canada is refusing to agree to the UN Security Council resolution.

He said that information related to all the organisations listed by Sri Lanka have been sent to the respective countries via the External Affairs Ministry.

Source: Colombo Gazette