LTTE fronts to defy UK terrorism laws on 'suicide bombers day' [November 23 2008]

Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a tottering terrorist group nearing its military collapse in Sri Lanka will defy UK anti-terrorism laws to glorify its suicide terrorism publicly when it holds its 'suicide bombers day' at the London Excel Centre, according to pro-LTTE media reports. Despite the proscription of the group in the United Kingdom , the Tamil language radio station, International Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) said in its broadcasts that the event would take place at the London ExCeL Centre, November 27 from 10a.m.

London's PR newswire said, "The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), or LTTE, are a proscribed terrorist organisation in the UK under the 2000 Terrorism Act. Membership of the LTTE, fundraising for the group and encouraging support for them are all prohibited in the UK. For the LTTE and its supporters, the 27th November is 'suicide bombers day'. Past suicide missions are openly venerated and Prabhakaran, the chief of the LTTE, addresses crowds in many countries via video link-up to raise money and international support for the group."

The PR newswire added, "Holding a public pro-terrorist event in the UK is illegal under both the Terrorism Act 2000 (for supporting a proscribed organisation) and the 2006 Act (for glorification of terrorism)." Expecting fundraising also aligned to the event the newswire said, "40 percent of LTTE funding comes from UK sources. Despite this, the government's position towards the LTTE and its supporters lacks consistency. The ExCeL Centre drew 3,000 supporters in 2007, and 8,000 the year before when LTTE supporters from around Europe gathered at a leisure centre in Harrow. The 'suicide bombers day' 2007 was filmed by the Metropolitan Police, but it was not investigated further.