LTTE unmasked

One might be excused for thinking that the following is from a local newspaper or a Sri Lankan Security Forces website: “The LTTE perfected the use of suicide bombers; Invented the suicide belt; Pioneered the use of women in suicide attacks; Murdered some 4,000 people in the past two years alone; and assassinated two world leaders-the only terrorist organisation to do so.”

But this damning condemnation of the LTTE was extracted from the website of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigations, commonly known as the FBI. It has simply reiterated what we have known all along, but some sections of the International Community have been rather hesitant to acknowledge this stark reality.

In saying that the Tigers are among the most dangerous and deadly extremists in the world, the FBI has unmasked the Tigers for what they are: a bloodthirsty terrorist group. Apart from India, the US was one of the first countries to ban the LTTE. Unlike some other countries, the US has put its words into action.

It was just last week that a Tiger operative received a jail term of 57 months in the US for trying to procure weapons illegally for the LTTE. There have been several more arrests and the FBI, spearheading the anti-Tiger operations in the US, has broken apart several LTTE cells. Another interesting aspect is that several non-Sri Lankans have also been apprehended for being involved in LTTE activities.

Some have blamed the US for being pre-occupied with the war against al-Qaeda and ignoring atrocities by other (non-Islamic) terror groups, but the action against the LTTE shows that the primary focus of US agencies is against terrorism in whatever form, whatever name.

We have repeatedly said in these columns that terrorism anywhere is a threat to peace everywhere. No country can close its eyes to acts of terror in another part of the world as terror groups operate globally and maintain close links. They raise funds in other countries to finance wars in their countries. In this context, the FBI must be applauded for asking the question ‘Why should you care?’ from the American people.

“Certainly because of the suffering and bloodshed that the Tigers have caused. And because its ruthless tactics have inspired terrorist networks worldwide, including the al-Qaeda in Iraq. But also because the group has placed operatives right here in our own backyard, discreetly raising money to fund its bloody terrorist campaign overseas, including purchases of weapons and explosives.”

We could not have put it in better terms. The FBI’s answer gives the whole array of reasons for taking a tough stand against the LTTE.

“The US Government has designated the Tigers a foreign terrorist organisation, so their activities here are illegal. And we’re determined to stop them, using the full range of our investigative and intelligence capabilities.”

This is a fine example for certain countries which turn a blind eye to the activities of the LTTE and its front organisations on their soil. It is no secret that the LTTE raises funds even in some countries where it is banned, through nominal charities linked to the group. The LTTE will receive a deadlier blow if more countries share intelligence on its activities.

“You can help by being careful with your donations. Like other terrorists, the Tigers have raised funds under a variety of cover organisations, often by posing as charities. A great deal of money, for example, was raised for the Tigers following the 2004 tsunami that devastated Sri Lanka and many other countries,” says the FBI, mirroring what we have been saying for years.

The fact that the LTTE has been continuing with its violent campaign did not go unnoticed by the FBI. It noted that the LTTE assassinated a Government Minister just last week. But this is just one more brutal killing for the LTTE, which has violated the Ceasefire thousands of times to the point where the pact became a joke in the eyes of the people.

Certain sections of the International Community which cast aspersions on the Government for withdrawing from the Ceasefire should bear this in mind. It was the LTTE which began a wave of attacks against the Security Forces with the dawn of 2006.

The Government exercised utmost restraint in the face of these attacks and ordered limited retaliatory action only when the Army Commander was attacked. Even more importantly, the Government has not lost sight of a political solution and a negotiations process.

The APRC is due to hand over its final draft to President Mahinda Rajapaksa next week. The LTTE still has time to join the search for a political solution if it genuinely seeks to ‘liberate’ the Tamil people whom it claims to represent.