70 p.c. of Tiger financial capability destroyed

Rafik JALALDEEN

Seventy per cent of the LTTE’s financial capability globally had been destroyed, the anti-terrorism parley now being held in Colombo was told yesterday.

The International community’s active support is required to combat the LTTE and cripple is fund raising network, said Shanaka Jayasekara, Researcher, Centre for Counter Terrorism.

Jayasekara said the LTTE had extended its fund raising capability globally, mostly in 12 countries including the USA, UK, Canada and Australia. These countries have taken steps to stop LTTE movements and fund raising activities.

He urged the international community to help Lanka combat LTTE. “Technically, we have destroyed 70 per cent of the LTTE’s chain of financial capabilities around the world and we appeal to the international community, most particularly the 12 countries where the LTTE’s raising funds to support the Sri Lanka government to help combat the LTTE”, he remarked.

Elaborating on the Domestic Dimension of Terrorism in a pre recorded presentation, Head, International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research Dr. Rohan Gunaratna identified five methods to move forward and fight against terrorism.

An intelligence centre for terror activities and developing a military intelligence unit technically are priorities.

“We should set up a highly qualified and technologically developed military intelligence unit to pose a threat to the LTTE. Civil intelligence should be developed and combined with the military intelligence to carry out this unit successfully.He reiterated the importance of the military intelligence.

“It is vital to recruit qualified intelligent officers to the service and ensure continuity of the intelligence officers. Once the Government changes we shouldn’t change or remove the intelligence officers engaged in counter terrorism,” Gunaratna said.

Instead of buying military equipment alone, developing human intelligence services and having elite forces for defensive and offensive operations were other dimensions.

“As long as we strengthen the human intelligence and elite commando forces, it will be easier to combat terrorism, enter enemy territory and destroy their detachments. When we have powerful special commandos, air borne troops and high level of intelligence unit we can avoid victimising many civilians and leaders,” Gunaratna pointed out.

He noted language had a great role and it is a bridge between the Security Forces and the local community. “Lack of local languages capability among the Security Forces make it difficult to combat against terrorism. The Security Forces should have Tamil language capability.”

He emphasized that lack of leadership among the Security Forces was another barrier to combat against terrorism. “Military leaders should be recruited on the basis of speciality, merit, performance etc but not seniority or political influence”, he said.

“To combat the LTTE the Government should win the hearts of the Tamil people. The Tamil people are not supporting the LTTE. Many Tamil political leaders and scholars have been assassinated by the LTTE. There are Tamil leaders who oppose the LTTE ideology. These Tamil leaders should be involved in the fight against the LTTE and they should be provided maximum security.”