Centre extends ban on LTTE for five years

Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has been banned for another five years by the union home ministry. The Ministry said that the centre's opinion is that the activities of the LTTE continues to pose a threat to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India and therefore, it should be declared as an unlawful association.

New Delhi:The union home ministry extended the ban on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) for another five years on Tuesday over its strong anti-India posture and threat to the security of Indian nationals.

Extending the ban under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, MHA in the notification said, "The activities of LTTE revenant cadres, dropouts, sympathisers, supporters have been traced out recently in Tamilnadu suggests that the cadres sent to Tamilnadu would ultimately be utilised by the LTTE for unlawful activities.

Justifying the extension of ban on LTTE, home ministry said, "Propaganda continues to be spread through articles in the internet portals, anti-India feeling among the Sri Lankan Tamils is being propped up by holding the government of India responsible for the defeat of the LTTE, which remains continued, is likely to impact (VVIP) security adversely in India."

The Ministry said that the centre opinion is that the activities of the LTTE continues to pose a threat to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India and therefore, it should be declared as an unlawful association.

India had banned the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) after the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi in 1991.

LTTE, formed in 1976, was based in northern Sri Lanka and fought for the creation of an Independent Tamil state in the north and east of that country.