LTTE in France use intimidatory tactics

FRANCE: LTTE agents in France in the early hours of Sunday morning destroyed the flag pole and the national flag at the Sri Lanka Embassy and caused damage to the Embassy premises.

The Embassy is located at no 16 rue Spontini, Paris 75016, and the flag pole was mounted on the 1st floor of the building which is occupied by the Embassy, Foreign Ministry said yesterday.

This attack on the Embassy took place hours before Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama arrived in Paris at the start of an official visit to Europe where he would engage in talks in Paris, Brussels and Frankfurt.

The Minister is scheduled to meet the French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner and other leaders in France and the European Commissioner for External Relations Benita Ferrero-Waldner, and Belgian Government leaders in Brussels.

Investigations have revealed that shortly after midnight on Saturday, three persons wearing black jackets were roaming outside the premises.

The caretaker of the building where the Embassy premises are located, has stated that upon hearing a noise in the early hours of the morning around 2 am he had come out and seen a largely built man outside the premises.

Later, the owner of the building, as well as Embassy staff in the morning, had noted that the flag post was broken and the flag missing, and damage caused to the Embassy premises.

The Embassy is closely working with the law enforcement authorities and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of France in investigating this attack against its premises.

In addition to a police investigation into the matter the Sri Lanka Embassy has lodged a strong protest against this violation of its diplomatic premises to the French Foreign Ministry.

This incident further highlights the brazenness with which the LTTE and its front organizations function in western capitals.

Earlier in its August 1st issue the Jane’s Intelligence Review, in a Special Report titled “Feeding the Tiger - How Sri Lankan insurgents fund their war” has stated that “the actual operational co-ordination of LTTE European operations seems to be in Paris.”

On 1st April 2007, French anti terrorism police arrested 15 key LTTE operatives in France who are still in detention while investigations into their activities are continuing.

The Sri Lanka Embassy has also called for stepping up of security during the Foreign Minister’s presence in France for meetings from 4th to 6th September.

Sri Lanka has reiterated its call for the French authorities to exercise greater vigilance in the face of the activities of the LTTE and its front organizations on French soil.