"We are seriously considering banning the LTTE," stated Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer, addressing a gathering on terrorism and Islamic extremism at the International Institute of Strategic Studies in London.
"We are seriously considering banning the LTTE," stated Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer, addressing a gathering on terrorism and Islamic extremism at the International Institute of Strategic Studies in London.
The Australian Foreign Minister, who was in London to attend a meeting of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG), said Australian intelligence services had monitored the activities of some Tamil charities that had used the cover to illegally raise funds for the LTTE in Sri Lanka.
"In the past two weeks Australian authorities have had discussions concerning the LTTE and a decision was expected to be taken shortly," he added.
Australian diplomatic sources revealed that the recent increase in terrorist activities in Sri Lanka, such as the attempted assassination of the Defence Secretary, is among the factors that lead the Australian authorities to seriously consider hard hitting measures against the LTTE.
If Australia takes action against the LTTE, it will be a great loss to LTTE fundraising as the United States, Britain, the European Union, Canada and India have already banned the organization.
