Commercial links between LTTE and al-Qaeda- FM

LONDON: The activities of the LTTE are no longer confined to Sri Lanka as the IISS publication Military Balance 2007 has pointed out there are now emerging commercial links between the LTTE and the al-Qaeda movement, Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama said in London.

He was delivering a keynote address on “Sri Lanka’s Foreign & Security Policy: the challenge of terrorism” at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) on Thursday.

Minister Bogollagama referred to the emerging links between the LTTE and the Mujahiddins in Afghanistan and visits by the LTTE delegations to Kabul shortly before 9/11.

The Minister pointed out that the LTTE’s fleet of merchant vessels has established a presence in the arms black market and have provided mercenary services to several other terrorist groups around the world.

Its presence is now well established in the narcotics trade internationally as well.

He pointed out that the LTTE is engaged in money laundering and credit card fraud on a large scale. There is a clear relationship between the collection of funds in foreign countries and the promotion by the LTTE of the outflow of asylum seekers into Western countries.

He indicated that the LTTE has graduated from the stage when it relied mainly on fundraising from the diaspora even through extortion and added that many of its front organisations were registered as companies and charities mainly in Western countries.

He appealed to the developed countries not to view the LTTE as freedom fighters when they are contributing to instability in other countries and are inter-linked to terrorism at the international level.

Minister Bogollagama pointed out in his address to diplomats, terrorism experts, academics and international media personnel that since the problem of terrorism was global any measures to effectively counter required inter-state bilateral cooperation.

He referred to the various UN Conventions which impose obligations on States to eliminate the activities of terrorist groups who operate in one country but whose activities are directed towards the carrying out of terrorist activity in other States.

Minister Bogollagama concluded that the LTTE’s intransigence and unwillingness to enter into negotiations on core political issues was mainly due to the continued flow of funds to its war chest from overseas.

He emphasised that the Government is firmly committed to a negotiated political settlement of the conflict and is in the process of drafting extensive proposals on devolution which will ultimately involve constitutional amendments.

He said the LTTE should renounce violence, create a pluralistic environment in the North and East and enter the democratic mainstream in order to legitimately represent the interests of the Tamil people.

The Foreign Minister concluded that the international community for its part could assist by using its leverage with the LTTE which has an extensive network in those countries.

The lecture was presided by Dr Patrick Cronin, Director of IISS.