US report says LTTE’s international network still active
A US report on terrorism says the LTTE’s international network is still active, despite its military defeat in 2009.
The US report said that the LTTE has employed charities as fronts to collect and divert funds for its activities.
The 2021 Country Reports on Terrorism (CRT) released by the US State Department yesterday (Monday), said that despite its military defeat at the hands of the Sri Lankan government in 2009, the LTTE’s international network of sympathizers and financial support has persisted.
“Although largely inactive since 2009, the LTTE was responsible for an integrated insurgent strategy that targeted key installations and senior Sri Lankan leaders. In early 2009, Sri Lankan forces recaptured the LTTE’s key strongholds, including its capital of Kilinochchi. In 2009, government forces defeated the last LTTE fighting forces, killed members of its leadership including leader Velupillai Prabhakaran, and declared military victory,” the report said.
The report said that there have been no known attacks in Sri Lanka attributed to the LTTE since 2009, but 13 LTTE supporters, several of whom had allegedly planned attacks against U.S. and Israeli diplomatic facilities in India, were arrested in Malaysia in 2014. Additional members were arrested in Malaysia and India in 2015, one of whom was accused of exhorting other Sri Lankans to fund and revive the LTTE. (Colombo Gazette)
