News, The Island, March 30, 2001

House of Lords approves LTTE ban

By Dushy Ranetunge

On Tuesday the British proscription on the LTTE came into force as the list of proscribed organisations was approved by the House of Lords.

Already the LTTE is in breach of the British Terrorism Act as the LTTE's official web site, "eelam.com" is registered to AC Shanthan at 202 Long Lane, London SE1 4QB. In breach of the British Terrorism Act, the site has photographs of the LTTE leader, its propaganda etc. One of the latest news items on this site is titled "Tamil Tigers extend ceasefire with stern warning to Sri Lanka".

In contravention of the British Terrorism Act, this news item is a direct threat to the Sri Lankan state, in that it states that if the LTTE's demands are not met, it will resort to terrorism.

The news item is headed as "International Secretariat, Wanni, Tamil Eelam". News reports on this same site earlier this year had "211 Katherine Road, London" as the heading. This is an attempt to deceive as neither "Katherine Road, in London" nor "Wanni, Tamil Eelam" has functioned as the LTTE's International Secretariat.

In August 1996, the "International Secretariat" physically moved computers and personnel from Katherine Road to Eelam House, 202 Long Lane, London EC1, the address which is used for the registration of the LTTE's official web site.

Since then there has been no movement of equipment or personnel to the Wanni. The LTTE continues to maintain its data base at Eelam House and its officials such as AC Shanthan (registered administrative and billing contact for the LTTE's official web site) and Anton Rajah continues to remain in London and function.

It has however tried to deceive the public by changing its heading to the "Wanni" and by declaring that its "International Secretariat" is now in the Wanni.

While LTTE personnel, equipment and support structure remains in London, there is concern in several European countries including France, that the LTTE may be decentralising and restructuring its operations in Europe.

While the LTTE have cut back on its fund raising operations in the United Kingdom, and suspended several of its publications, the LTTE controlled British registered radio station IBC remains its main link to the Tamil diaspora.

Last year, the LTTE controlled IBC (International Broadcasting Corporation) hedged against a possible clamp down in Britain, by purchasing the French Tamil Radio and Television outfit known as TRT (Tamil Television and Radio Network). The other indications of the LTTE's movement towards Europe and France in particular is its front the "Tamil Centre for Human Rights" (TCHR) which also operates from Paris.

The "Tamil Centre for Human Rights" is gearing itself up to champion the LTTE's special brand of "human rights" in Geneva this year with Visuvalingam Kirupaharan, Deirdre McConnel, Prof. John Neelsen and Dr. Jean-Marie Julia at the helm.