Sri Lanka commends EU decision to re-list LTTE ban

Sri Lanka yesterday welcomed the European Union’s (EU) decision to re-list the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) as a banned terror outfit.

The EU’s decision came after a comprehensive review of listed terrorist groups. Government sources said the EU’s decision shows its commitment to eliminate international terrorism and that Sri Lanka would extend its fullest support in this endeavour.

The EU’s announcement was made through Council Implementing Regulation (EU) No 83/2011 of 31 January 2011, published in the Official Journal of the European Union. The EU terrorist listings made in terms of article 2(3) of Council Regulation (EC) No. 2580/2001 of 27 December 2001 on specific restrictive measures directed against certain persons and entities with a view to combating terrorism, proscribes organisations listed operating in EU member countries and freezes their assets.

The LTTE is re-listed among 26 Groups and Entities, on the determination that they “have been involved in terrorist acts within the meaning of Article 1(2) and (3) of Council Common Position 2001/931/CFSP of 27 December 2001 on the application of specific measures to combat terrorism, that a decision has been taken with respect to them by a competent authority within the meaning of Article 1(4) of that Common Position, and that they should continue to be subject to the specific restrictive measures provided for in Regulation (EC) No 2580/2001.”