India extends LTTE ban; raises vigilance

The LTTE will be banned for another two years until May 14, 2010, the Indian government announced.

Ever since the LTTE was banned in India in 1992 , the proscription has been extended every year.

India decided to ban the outfit initially after a LTTE suicide bomber killed former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

An array of Tamil Nadu politicians, some who are partners of India's ruling coalition has been bringing pressure on the Central government to drop the proscription of the terrorist group. Meanwhile, the Indian Navy, Coast Guard and intelligence agencies have stepped up vigil along the Tamil Nadu coast as well as the 21 islands in the Palk Straits.

Security agencies have strengthened monitoring of the 21 small and uninhabited islands located between the Tamil Nadu coast and Sri Lanka as they have become a base for smugglers, militants as well as boat operators ferrying Tamil refugees, a senior intelligence officer told PTI. A round-the-clock monitoring of the islands has been ordered after a complete survey, he said. `Among those who brought pressure were Vaiko, Ramdos and Nedumaran.

But Tamil Nadu's Congress Party leader D. Sudharshanam constantly campaigned for the extension. The United States, United Kingdom, Canada, the European Union and Malaysia are some of the other countries which have banned the terrorist group.