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Lords call for sterner action against Tigers
From Neville de Silva in London
The LTTE’s abortive attempt on the life of the Army commander came in for criticism in the House of Lords with both Government and Opposition condemning the suicide bombing and calling for sterner action against this proscribed organisation.

Lord Naseby who lived and worked in Sri Lanka some years back, called for the proscription of the LTTE to be enforced more rigorously. Lord Bassam of Brighton on behalf of the Government said it was necessary to keep the pressure up on the LTTE, which the Labour Government outlawed five years ago.

Lord Bassam said the proscription of the LTTE meant that it was illegal for the organisation to operate in the UK and that membership of and fund raising for it constitute serious criminal offences. He expected the police and the prosecuting authorities to take these issues extremely seriously.

Speaking in the House of Lords on Thursday, Lord Naseby drew the minister’s attention to the continuing recruitment of child soldiers by the LTTE in the north-east.

He also drew attention to the fact that LTTE money laundering was continuing in the UK, that illegal rallies take place under the flags of Tamil Eelam, that bogus charities are being set up and that TTN (a pro-LTTE TV station based in Paris) is broadcasting Tamil Eelam propaganda in the UK.

Lord Naseby urged the Government to take action as the proscription is being openly flouted. Lord Dholakia expressing sympathy for the families affected by the atrocities in Sri Lanka asked whether the Home Secretary would require additional powers to deal with the LTTE’s activities referred to by Lord Naseby or whether the existing powers were sufficient.

Lord Howell of Guildford said in the past 10 years that there were more suicide bombings in Sri Lanka largely associated with the LTTE than anywhere else in the world.

He asked the minister whether he was “aware of the revolting practice of planting bombs on little children, giving them flowers to present to visiting politicians and dignitaries and then detonating the bomb so that it kills the child and the dignitary at once-the most sordid and sickening practice that one can possibly imagine.”

He urged the minister to act firmly to prevent such organisations like the LTTE from pursuing their activities in the UK. Lord Bassam said that the Government takes these matters seriously and it constantly discusses the “issues with our opposite numbers in the Sri Lankan Government.”

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