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<!-- INFOBOX NOTE: MILITARY ENGAGEMENTS. -->
{{Infobox militant organization
|name = Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
|logo = Ltte_emblem.jpg
|caption = The official emblem of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.
|dates = May 5, 1976 – present;<br/>Defeated as a conventional organization on May 17, 2009
|leader = [[Visvanathan Rudrakumaran]]<ref name=newleader>{{citenews|title=New LTTE leader barred from entering Germany|url=http://www.nation.lk/2009/10/04/news14.htm|first=Gagani |last=Weerakoon|publisher=The Nation on Sunday}}</ref>
|motives = The creation of a separate [[Sri Lankan Tamil people|Tamil]] [[Tamil Eelam|state]] in the [[Northern Province, Sri Lanka|north]] and [[Eastern Province, Sri Lanka|east]] of [[Sri Lanka]]
|area = {{flagicon|Canada}} [[Canada]]<ref>http://www.spur.asn.au/canada.htm</ref> {{flagicon|United Kingdom}} [[United Kingdom]]<ref>http://cryptome.org/ltte-vigil.htm</ref>, {{flagicon|Norway}} [[Norway]] And Others <ref>http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/shrilanka/terroristoutfits/Ltte.htm</ref>
|ideology = [[Sri Lankan Tamil Nationalism|Tamil nationalism]]
|Indicated as: Freedom Fighters
|attacks = [[Central Bank bombing]], [[Palliyagodella massacre]], [[Dehiwala train bombing]] and others.
|status = Proscribed as a terrorist organization by 32 countries.<ref>[http://defence.lk [[Ministry of Defence (Sri Lanka)]]</ref>
|revenue = $300–500 Million
|financing= Donations from expatriate Tamils, Sale of Narcotics,<ref name="transcurrents.com">http://transcurrents.com/tamiliana/archives/399</ref> Extortion<ref name="transcurrents.com"/><ref>http://lrrp2.wordpress.com/2008/08/12/jane-s-spells-out-ltte-s-annual-income/</ref> Shipping, Sales of weapons, Taxes under LTTE controlled areas, Bank of Tamileelam
}}

The '''Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam''' ({{lang-ta|தமிழீழ விடுதலைப் புலிகள்}}, [[ISO 15919]]: ''tamiḻ īḻa viṭutalaip pulikaḷ''; commonly known as the '''LTTE''' or the '''Tamil Tigers''') is<!--Please DO NOT mark the LTTE has no longer existent. Even if they have stopped fighting, they will continue to exist as a organization.--> a separatist organization formerly based in northern [[Sri Lanka]]. Founded in May 1976, it waged a violent [[secede|secessionist]] campaign that sought to create an independent [[Tamil Eelam|Tamil state]] in the north and east of Sri Lanka.<ref name="pbs.org">
{{cite news|url=http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/srilanka/thestory.html|title=Sri Lanka - Living With Terror|date=May 2002|publisher=PBS|work=Frontline |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref> This campaign evolved into the [[Sri Lankan Civil War]], which was one of the longest running armed conflicts in [[Asia]] until the LTTE was defeated by the [[Sri Lankan Military]] in May 2009.<ref name="Reuters">http://www.reuters.com/article/featuredCrisis/idUSCOL391456</ref><ref name="VOA">http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-05-17-voa11.cfm</ref>

The Tigers, who during the height of their power possessed a well-developed militia, were notorious for recruiting [[child soldier]]s, for carrying out civilian massacres, suicide bombings and various other high profile attacks, including the assassinations of several high-ranking Sri Lankan and Indian politicians like Sri Lankan President [[Ranasinghe Premadasa]] in 1993, and former Indian Prime Minister [[Rajiv Gandhi]] in 1991.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?action=conflict_search&l=1&t=1&c_country=100|title=Conflict history: Sri Lanka|date=2009-04-01|work=International Crisis Group|publisher=crisisgroup.org|accessdate=2009-03-07}}</ref> They invented the [[Explosive belt|suicide belt]] and pioneered the use of [[Suicide attack|suicide bombing]] as a tactic.<ref name='nyt-prabhaprofile'>{{cite news | title=Profile: Velupillai Prabhakaran | date=2009-05-01 | url =http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/p/velupillai_prabhakaran/index.html | work =The New York Times | accessdate = 2009-05-15}}</ref><ref name="insurgent-learder">{{cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/01/world/asia/01lanka.html?ref=world|title=Outcome of Sri Lanka’s Long War May Hang on Fate of Insurgent Leader|date=2009-04-01|work=The New York Times|accessdate=2009-04-23}}</ref> They also pioneered the use of women in [[suicide attack]]s,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fbi.gov/page2/jan08/tamil_tigers011008.html|title=Taming the Tamil Tigers|date=2008-10-01|work=Federal Bureau of Investigation|publisher=fbi.gov|accessdate=2009-03-07}}</ref> and used light aircraft in some of their attacks.<ref name="BBC 2007-04-29">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6604645.stm|title=Sri Lanka rebels in new air raid|agency=[[BBC News]]|publisher=BBC News|date=29 April 2007|accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref> They are currently proscribed as a [[terrorist organization]] by 32 countries (''see [[#Proscription as a terrorist group|list of countries]]''), but have extensive support amongst the [[Tamil diaspora]] in Europe and North America, and amongst Tamils in [[India]].<ref>[http://www.siliconindia.com/shownews/Majority_in_Tamil_Nadu_favours_backing_LTTE_Poll-nid-54523.html Majority in Tamil Nadu favours backing LTTE: Poll].</ref><ref>[http://in.news.yahoo.com/139/20090501/882/twl-tamil-sympathy-for-ltte-will-keep-th.html Tamil sympathy for LTTE will keep the movement alive: Analysts]</ref> Since its inception, and until his death, the LTTE was headed by its founder, [[Velupillai Prabhakaran]].

Over the course of the conflict, the Tamil Tigers frequently exchanged control of territory in north-east Sri Lanka with the [[Military of Sri Lanka|Sri Lankan military]], engaging in fierce confrontations in the process. They were also involved in peace talks to end the conflict four times, each time unsuccessfully. At the start of the final round of peace talks in 2002, they had a 15,000&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup> area under their control. However after the breakdown of the peace process in 2006, the Sri Lankan military launched a major offensive against the Tigers, bringing the entire country under their control and defeating the LTTE militarily. Victory over the Tigers was declared by Sri Lankan President [[Mahinda Rajapaksa]] on May 16, 2009,<ref name='st-end'>{{cite news | title=President to announce end of war | date=2009-05-17 | url =http://www.sundaytimes.lk/090517/News/sundaytimesnews_01.html | work =Times Online | accessdate = 2009-05-16}}</ref> and the LTTE admitted defeat on May 17, 2009.<ref>{{cite web|author=From correspondents in Colombo |url=http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,25496902-401,00.html |title=''Tamil Tigers'' admit defeat in civil war after 37-year battle |publisher=News.com.au |date= |accessdate=2009-05-17}}</ref> Prabhakaran was subsequently killed by government forces on May 19, 2009. [[Selvarasa Pathmanathan]] took over the leadership, however he was arrested, and interrogated by the Sri Lankan authorities.<ref>{{citenews|publisher=[[The Hindu]]|url=http://www.hindu.com/2009/08/09/stories/2009080952680900.htm|title=‘Operation KP’: the dramatic capture and after|author=D.B.S. Jeyaraj}}</ref> Following Pathmanathan's arrest, [[Visvanathan Rudrakumaran]] became the [[de facto]] leader.<ref name=newleader/>

==History==
===Founding===
{{See also|Sri Lankan civil war}}
{{See also|Origins of the Sri Lankan civil war}}
The LTTE was founded on May 5, 1976 by [[Velupillai Prabhakaran]], as a successor to the [[Tamil New Tigers]], a militant group most notable for the assassination of the Mayor of [[Jaffna]], [[Alfred Duraiyappah]] in 1975.<ref name="Hoffman139">{{cite book|last=Hoffman|first=Bruce|title=Inside Terrorism|publisher=[[Columbia University Press]]|location=New York|date=2006|page=139|isbn=0-231-12699-1}}</ref> Prabhakaran sought to "refashion the old TNT/new LTTE into an elite, ruthlessly efficient, and highly professional fighting force",<ref name="Hoffman139"/> which, as terrorism expert [[Rohan Gunaratna]] notes, he did by "keeping [his] numbers small, maintaining a high standard of training, [and] enforcing discipline at all levels".<ref>[[Rohan Gunaratna|Gunaratna, Rohan]], "The Rebellion in Sri Lanka: Sparrow Tactics to Guerrilla Warfare (1971–1996)," p. 13.</ref> According to the Indian media news channel "ibnCNN,"{{Verify credibility|date=August 2009}} the LTTE's main members including Prabhakaran were trained by the Indian Army<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMdU4Hm7tkU</ref>{{Verify credibility|date=August 2009}} and Indian intelligence agency "RAW" which attracted many supporters among disenchanted Tamil youth. They carried out low-key attacks against various government targets, including policemen and local politicians.{{Citation needed|date=May 2009}}

The LTTE carried out their first major attack on July 23, 1983 when they ambushed a [[Sri Lanka Army]] troop transport outside [[Jaffna]]. 13 Sri Lankan soldiers were killed in the attack, leading to the [[Black July]] riots against the Tamil community of Sri Lanka. The subsequent anger amongst the Tamil community resulted in numerous Tamil youths joining Tamil militant groups to fight the Sri Lankan government, in what is considered start of the insurgency in Sri Lanka.{{Citation needed|date=May 2009}}

===Rise to power===
Initially, LTTE operated in cooperation with other Tamil militant groups which shared their objectives, and in April 1984, the LTTE formally joined a common militant front, the [[Eelam National Liberation Front]] (ENLF), a union between LTTE, the [[Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization]] (TELO), the [[Eelam Revolutionary Organisation of Students]] (EROS), the [[People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam]] (PLOTE) and the [[Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front]] (EPRLF).<ref name='cs-tmg'>
{{cite journal
|title=Tamil Militant Groups
|journal=Sri Lanka: A Country Study
|year=1988
|coauthors=Russell R. Ross and Andrea Matles Savada
|volume=
|issue=
|pages=
|id=
|url=http://countrystudies.us/sri-lanka/72.htm
|accessdate=2007-05-02
}}
</ref>

TELO usually held the Indian view of problems and pushed for India's view during peace talks with Sri Lanka and other groups. LTTE denounced the TELO view and claimed that India was only acting on its own interest. As a result in 1986, the LTTE broke from the ENLF. Soon fighting broke out between the TELO and the LTTE and clashes occurred over the next few months.<ref name=Hellmann-rajanayagam1994>
{{cite book
|author=Hellmann-rajanayagam, D.
|year=1994
|title=The Tamil Tigers: Armed Struggle for Identity
|publisher=Franz Steiner Verlag
|page=164
|isbn=978-3-515-06530-6
}}
</ref><ref name='cw-eb'>
{{cite book
|last=O'Ballance
|first=Edgar
|title=The Cyanide War: Tamil Insurrection in Sri Lanka 1973-88
|publisher=Brassey's
|year=1989
|location=London
|page=61
|isbn=0-08-036695-3
}}
</ref> As a result almost the entire TELO leadership and many of the TELO militants were killed by the LTTE.<ref name='cw-eb62'>
{{cite book
|last=O'Ballance
|first=Edgar
|title=The Cyanide War: Tamil Insurrection in Sri Lanka 1973-88
|publisher=Brassey's
|year=1989
|location=London
|page=62
|isbn=0-08-036695-3
}}
</ref><ref>
{{cite book
|last=Wilson
|first=A. Jeyaratnam
|title=Sri Lankan Tamil Nationalism: Its Origins and Development in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries
|publisher=[[University of British Columbia]] Press
|date=June 2000
|isbn=978-0-7748-0760-9
}}{{page number}}
</ref><ref>
{{cite book
|author=M.R. [[Narayan Swamy]]
|title=Tigers of Lanka: from Boys to Guerrillas
|publisher=South Asia Books
|date=August 1995
|isbn=978-81-220-0386-4
}}{{page number}}
</ref> The LTTE attacked training camps of the [[EPRLF]] a few months later, forcing it to withdraw entirely from the [[Jaffna peninsula]].<ref name='cs-tmg'/><ref name='cw-eb62'/>

The LTTE then demanded that all remaining Tamil insurgents join the LTTE. Notices were issued to that effect in Jaffna and in Madras, India where the Tamil groups were headquartered. With the major groups including the TELO and EPRLF eliminated, the remaining Tamil insurgent groups, numbering around 20, were then absorbed into the LTTE, making Jaffna an LTTE-dominated city.<ref name='cw-eb62'/>

LTTE's practice such as wearing a [[cyanide]] vial for consumption if captured appealed to the Tamil people as dedication and sacrifice.
Another practice that increased support by Tamil people was LTTE's practice of taking an oath of loyalty which stated LTTE’s goal of establishing a state for the [[Sri Lankan Tamils]].<ref name=Hellmann-rajanayagam1994/><ref name=Roberts2005>
{{cite journal
| author = Roberts, M.
| year = 2005
| title = Tamil Tiger “Martyrs": Regenerating Divine Potency?
| journal = Studies in Conflict & Terrorism
| volume = 28
| issue = 6
| pages = 493–514
| url = http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/routledg/uter/2005/00000028/00000006/art00003
| accessdate = 2008-04-06
| doi = 10.1080/10576100590950129
}}
</ref>

In 1987, LTTE established the [[LTTE Black Tiger|Black Tigers]], a unit of LTTE responsible for conducting suicide attacks against political, economic and military targets,<ref name='bbc-11/26/02'>
{{cite news
|first=Frances
|last=Harrison
|title='Black Tigers' appear in public
|date=26 November 2002
|publisher=BBC News
|agency=[[BBC News]]
|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/2516263.stm
|accessdate=2007-09-02
}}
</ref> and launched its first suicide attack against a Sri Lanka Army camp, killing 40 soldiers.

===IPKF period===
{{Main|Indian Peace Keeping Force}}

In 1987, faced with growing anger among its own Tamils, and a flood of refugees,<ref name='cs-tmg'/> [[India]] intervened directly in the conflict for the first time by initially [[Operation Poomalai|airdropping food parcels into Jaffna]]. After subsequent negotiations, India and Sri Lanka entered into the [[Indo-Sri Lanka Accord]]. Though the conflict was between the Tamil and Sinhalese people, India and Sri Lanka signed the peace accord instead of India influencing both parties to sign a peace accord among themselves. The peace accord assigned a certain degree of regional autonomy in the Tamil areas with Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF) controlling the regional council and called for the Tamil militant groups to lay down their arms. India was to send a [[peacekeeping]] force, named the [[Indian Peace Keeping Force]] (IPKF), part of the [[Indian Army]], to Sri Lanka to enforce the disarmament and to watch over the regional council.<ref>The Peace Accord and the Tamils in Sri Lanka. Hennayake S.K. Asian Survey, Vol. 29, No. 4. (April 1989), pp. 401–15.</ref><ref name=Stokke2000a>{{cite journal
| author = Stokke, K.
| coauthors = Ryntveit, A.K.
| year = 2000
| title = The Struggle for Tamil Eelam in Sri Lanka
| journal = A Journal of Urban and Regional Policy
| volume = 31
| issue = 2
| pages = 285–304
| doi = 10.1111/0017-4815.00129
}}</ref>

Although the accord was signed between the governments of Sri Lanka and India, and the Tamil militant groups did not have a role in the agreement,<ref name=Hellmann-rajanayagam1994/> most Tamil militant groups accepted it.<ref name='cw-eb91-94'>{{cite book |last=O'Ballance |first=Edgar |title=The Cyanide War: Tamil Insurrection in Sri Lanka 1973-88 |publisher=Brassey's |year=1989 |location=London |pages=91,94 |isbn=0-08-036695-3}}</ref> But the LTTE rejected the accord because they opposed the candidate, who belonged to the EPRLF, for chief administrative officer of the merged Northern and Eastern provinces.<ref name=Stokke2000a/> Instead, the LTTE named three other candidates for the position, which India rejected.<ref name='cw-eb91-94'/> The LTTE subsequently refused to hand over their weapons to the IPKF.<ref name=Hellmann-rajanayagam1994/>

Thus LTTE found itself engaged in military conflict with the [[Indian Army]], and launched its first attack on an Indian army rations truck on October 8, killing five Indian para-commandos who were on board by strapping burning [[tire]]s around their necks.<ref name='cw-eb100'>{{cite book |last=O'Ballance |first=Edgar |title=The Cyanide War: Tamil Insurrection in Sri Lanka 1973-88 |publisher=Brassey's |year=1989 |location=London |page=100 |isbn=0-08-036695-3}}</ref> The government of India decided that the IPKF should disarm the LTTE by force,<ref name='cw-eb100'/> and the Indian Army launched number of assaults on the LTTE, including a month-long campaign dubbed ''[[Operation Pawan]]'' to win control of the Jaffna peninsula from the LTTE. The ruthlessness of this campaign, and the Indian army's subsequent anti-LTTE operations made it extremely unpopular among many Tamils in Sri Lanka.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://nesohr.org/inception-sept2007/human-rights-reports/StatisticsOnCiviliansAffectedByWar.pdf |title=Statistics on civilians affected by war from 1974 - 2004 |format=PDF |date=January 2006 |publisher=NorthEast Secretariat On Human Rights (NESOHR) |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref><ref name=UTHRJ>{{cite web |url=http://www.uthr.org/history.htm |publisher=University Teachers for Human Rights (Jaffna) UTHR(J) |title=History of the Organisation |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref>

===After IPKF===
The Indian intervention was also unpopular among the Sinhalese majority, and the IPKF became bogged down in the fighting with the Tamil Tigers for over 2 years, experiencing heavy losses. The last members of the IPKF, which was estimated to have had a strength of well over 50,000 at its peak, left the country in 1990 upon request of the Sri Lankan government. A shaky peace initially held between the government and the LTTE, and peace talks progressed towards providing devolution for Tamils in the north and east of the country.{{Citation needed|date=April 2008}}

Fighting continued throughout the 1990s, and was marked by two key assassinations carried out by the LTTE, that of former Indian Prime Minister [[Rajiv Gandhi]] in 1991, and Sri Lankan President [[Ranasinghe Premadasa]] in 1993, using suicide bombers in both occasions. The fighting briefly halted in 1994 following the election of Chandrika Kumaratunga as President of Sri Lanka and the onset of peace talks, but fighting resumed after LTTE sunk two Sri Lanka Navy boats in April 1995.<ref name='ips-peace'> {{cite web |title=A Look At The Peace Negotiations| publisher=Inter Press Service |year=2003 (updated) |url=http://ipsnews.net/srilanka/timeline.shtml |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref> In a series of military operations that followed, the Sri Lanka Army re-captured the [[Jaffna]] peninsula, the heartland of Tamils in Sri Lanka.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/december/5/newsid_4618000/4618661.stm |title=Jaffna falls to Sri Lankan army |publisher=BBC News |agency=[[BBC News]] |date=5 December 1995 |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref> Further offensives followed over the next three years, and the military captured vast areas in the north of the country from the LTTE, including area in the [[Vanni (Sri Lanka)|Vanni]] region, the town of [[Kilinochchi]] and many smaller towns. However, from 1998 onward the LTTE hit back, regaining control of these areas. This culminated in the capture of the strategically important [[Elephant Pass]] base complex, located at the entrance of the Jaffna Peninsula, in April 2000, after prolonged fighting against the Sri Lanka Army.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl1709/17091240.htm |title=The fall of Elephant Pass |author=V. S. Sambandan |month=April |year=2000| publisher=Hindu Net |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref>

[[Mahattaya]], a one-time deputy leader of LTTE, was accused of treason by the LTTE and killed in 1994.<ref>[http://www.infolanka.com/org/srilanka/issues/AI(96).html AI 1996 Annual Report - Sri Lanka entry<!-- Bot generated title -->].</ref> He is said to have collaborated with the Indian [[Research and Analysis Wing]] to remove Prabhakaran from the LTTE leadership.<ref>[http://www.sangam.org/PIRABAKARAN/Part22.htm The Pirabhakaran Phenomenon Part 22<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

===2001 ceasefire===
[[Image:LTTE bike platoon north of Killinochini may 2004.jpg|thumb|An LTTE [[bicycle infantry]] [[platoon]] north of Kilinochchi in 2004]]

In 2001, the LTTE dropped its demand for a separate state. Instead, it stated that a form of regional autonomy would meet its demands.<ref>{{cite book|title=At Any Cost: National Liberation Terrorism |author= Samuel M. Katz|year= 2004|publisher=Twenty-First Century Books|isbn=0822509490|url= http://books.google.com/books?visbn=0822509490&id=TEY_drrYRWsC&pg=PT52&lpg=PT52&ots=zwz4YzPXqo&dq=%22ltte%22%22regional+autonomy%22&ie=ISO-8859-1&output=html&sig=d4nc4cZcfVqubTSOWjrfU_vFSSc}}</ref>
Following the landslide election defeat of Kumaratunga and the coming to power of [[Ranil Wickramasinghe]] in December 2001, the LTTE declared a unilateral ceasefire.<ref name=unilateral>{{cite web |url=http://www.hindu.com/2004/12/25/stories/2004122504691200.htm |title= LTTE for talks |accessdate=2008-04-20 |last=V.S. |first=Sambandan |coauthors= |date= December 25, 2004 |work= |publisher=The Hindu}}</ref> The Sri Lankan Government agreed to the ceasefire. In March 2002, both sides signed an official Ceasefire Agreement (CFA). As part of the agreement, [[Norway]] and the other [[Nordic countries]] agreed to jointly monitor the ceasefire through the [[Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission]].<ref>[http://www.hrw.org/english/docs/2004/07/27/slanka9153.htm Sri Lanka: New Killings Threaten Ceasefire], ''Human Rights Watch'', July 28, 2004.</ref>

Six rounds of peace talks between the Government of Sri Lanka and LTTE were held, but they were temporarily suspended after the LTTE pulled out of the talks in 2003 claiming "certain critical issues relating to the ongoing peace process".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2216.cms | title=Lankan PM calls LTTE to end talk deadlock |publisher=The Times of India |date=2 June 2003 |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2003/04/27/bus01.html |title=Business community urges LTTE to get back to negotiating table |date=27 April 2003 |publisher=The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon |work=Sunday Observer |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref>

In 2003, the LTTE proposed an [[Interim Self Governing Authority]] (ISGA). This move was welcomed by the international community, but rejected by the Sri Lankan President.<ref name= McConnell2008>{{cite journal
| author = McConnell, D.
| year = 2008
| title = The Tamil people's right to self-determination
| journal = Cambridge Review of International Affairs
| volume = 21
| issue = 1
| pages = 59–76
| url = http://www.informaworld.com/index/790622093.pdf
| accessdate = 2008-03-25
| doi = 10.1080/09557570701828592
|format=PDF}}</ref>

In December 2005, the LTTE boycotted the 2005 presidential election. While LTTE claimed that the people under its control were free to vote, it is alleged that they used threats to prevent the population from voting. The [[United States]] condemned this act.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/sinhala/highlights/story/2005/11/051122_ltte_boycott.shtml |title=LTTE supported Rajapakse presidency?| last=Pathirana |first=Saroj |date=November 23, 2005 |publisher=BBC News |agency=[[BBC News]] |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wsws.org/articles/2005/nov2005/sril-n19.shtml |title=Rajapakse narrowly wins Sri Lankan presidential election |last=Ratnayake |first=K. |date=19 November 2005 |publisher=[[World Socialist Web Site]] |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref>

The new government of Sri Lanka came into power in 2006 and demanded to abrogate the ceasefire agreement, stating that the only possible solution to the ethnic conflict was military solution, and that the only way to achieve this is by eliminating the Liberation Tigers of Tamila.<ref>[[R. Cheran]] (April 2009) ''[http://therealnews.com/id/3549/April 9, 2009/UN+calls+for+ceasefire+fire+in+Sri+Lanka UN calls for ceasefire fire in Sri Lanka]'' at ''[[The Real News]]''</ref> Further peace talks were scheduled in [[Oslo, Norway]], on June 8 and 9, 2006, but canceled when the LTTE refused to meet directly with the government delegation, stating its fighters were not being allowed safe passage to travel to the talks. Norwegian mediator [[Erik Solheim]] told journalists that the LTTE should take direct responsibility for the collapse of the talks.<ref name="bbc10">{{cite news |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/sinhala/news/story/2006/06/060609_saroj-oslo.shtml |title=Collapse of talks |last=Pathirana |first=Saroj |publisher=BBC News |agency=BBC News |date=June 9, 2006 |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref>

Rifts grew between the government and LTTE, and resulted in a number of ceasefire agreement violations by both sides during 2006. Suicide attacks,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/pm+condemns+suicide+bomb+attack+sri+lanka |title=PM condemns suicide bomb attack in Sri Lanka |date=17 October 2006 |publisher=New Zealand Government |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref> military skirmishes and air raids took place during the latter part of 2006.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.globalinsight.com/SDA/SDADetail5671.htm |title=Military Launches Airstrike Against LTTE After Suicide Bombing in Sri Lanka |publisher=Global Insight |year=2007 |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4941744.stm |title=Bomb targets Sri Lanka army chief |work= |publisher=BBC News |agency=[[BBC News]] |date=25 April 2006 |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref> Military confrontation continued into 2007 and 2008. On January 2008, the government officially pulled out of the Cease Fire Agreement.<ref name="afp">{{cite news |url=http://www.france24.com/france24Public/en/archives/news/world/20080102-sri-lanka-tamil-tiger-cease-fire-end.php |title=Government ends ceasefire with Tamil Tigers |publisher=France 24 |work=France 24 International News |agency=[[Agence France-Presse]] |date=2 January 2008 |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref>

===Dissension===
{{See also|Colonel Karuna}}

In the biggest show of dissent from within the organization, a senior LTTE commander named [[Colonel Karuna]] (''[[nom de guerre]]'' of Vinayagamoorthi Muralitharan) broke away from the LTTE in March 2004 and formed the [[TamilEela Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal]] amid allegations that the northern commanders were overlooking the needs of the eastern Tamils. The LTTE leadership accused him of mishandling of funds and questioned him about his recent personal behavior. He tried to take control of the eastern province from the LTTE, which caused clashes between the LTTE and [[TamilEela Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal|TEMVP]]. The LTTE has suggested that TEMVP was backed by the government,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=11391 | title= Karuna removed from the LTTE| author = | date= March 6, 2004 | publisher = TamilNet report}}</ref> and the Nordic SLMM monitors have corroborated this.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.slmm.lk/intros/FINAL%20GENEVA%20REPORT%20AFTER%20CORRECTIONS%20ON%201st%20of%20JUNE.pdf| title= Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission| author = | date= | publisher = |format=PDF}}</ref>

===Military Defeat===
{{Main|2008–2009 SLA Northern offensive}}

On January 2, 2009, the President of Sri Lanka, [[Mahinda Rajapaksa]], announced that the Sri Lankan troops had captured [[Kilinochchi]], the city which the LTTE had used for over a decade as its de facto administrative capital.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.hindu.com/2009/01/03/stories/2009010357740100.htm |title=Kilinochchi captured in devastating blow to LTTE |last=Reddy |first=B. Muralidhar |date=3 January 2009 |publisher=The Hindu |work=The Hindu |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref><ref name=xinhuanet-10596928>{{cite news |url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-01/03/content_10596928.htm |title=The fall of rebel headquarters: what does it hold for Sri Lanka? |date=3 January 2009 |author=Mahendra |publisher=Xinhuanet |agency=[[Xinhua News Agency]] |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/01/02/world/AP-AS-Sri-Lanka-Civil-War.html?_r=1 |title=Sri Lanka Says Troops Have Rebel Capital |date=2 January 2009 |publisher=New York Times |agency=[[Associated Press]] |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref> It was stated that the loss of Kilinochchi had caused a substantial dent in the LTTE's image.<ref name=xinhuanet-10596928/> It was also stated that after the fall of Kilinochchi the LTTE was likely to collapse soon under unbearable military pressure on multiple fronts.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.island.lk/2009/01/03/editorial.html |title=Editorial: A blow to global terror |publisher=Upali Newspapers |work=The Island Online |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref> As of January 8, 2009, the LTTE was abandoning its positions on the Jaffna peninsula to make a last stand in the jungles of [[Mullaitivu]], their last main base.<ref name='mod-bbc-01/08/09'>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7817110.stm |title=Army 'takes more Tiger territory' |date=8 January 2009 |publisher=BBC News |agency=[[BBC News]] |accessdate=2009-01-08}}</ref> The entire Jaffna peninsula was captured by the Sri Lanka Army by January 14.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601091&sid=aehebYR1I8gI&refer=india |title=Sri Lankan Military Seizes Last Rebel Base on Jaffna Peninsula |last=Johnson |first=Ed |date=14 January 2009 |publisher=Bloomberg |agency=[[Bloomberg L.P.]] |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref> On January 25, 2009 SLA troops "completely captured" Mullaitivu town, the last major LTTE stronghold.<ref name='mod-bbc-01/25/09'>{{cite news |first= |last= |title=Last Tamil Tiger bastion 'taken' |date=25 January 2009 |publisher=BBC News |agency=[[BBC News]] |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7849684.stm |accessdate=2009-01-25}}</ref> As a result of the offensive, there is increasing belief that the final military defeat of the LTTE is near, although the LTTE may launch an underground [[guerrilla]] campaign if it is defeated as a conventional force.<ref name=csm-p06s01>
{{cite news
|url=http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/0127/p06s01-wosc.html
|title=Sri Lanka nears victory in long war with Tamil Tigers
|last=Montlake
|first=Simon
|date=27 January 2009
|publisher=Christian Science Monitor
|accessdate=2009-02-09
}}
</ref><ref name=reuters-Q20090126>
{{cite news
|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSTRE50P2OQ20090126?pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=0
|title=Scenarios: Is Sri Lanka about to finish the Tamil Tigers?
|date=26 January 2009
|publisher=Reuters
|agency=[[Reuters]]
|accessdate=2009-02-09
}}
</ref>

Top LTTE leader Cheliyan, the second-in-command of the Sea Tigers, was killed in [[Kariyamullivaikkal]] on May 8, 2009 dealing another blow to the organization.<ref>[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/Top-LTTE-leader-killed-in-Lanka/articleshow/4506468.cms op LTTE leader killed in Lanka fighting], [[The Times of India]], 2009-05-10</ref> The Sri Lanka Government accused the LTTE of causing a human disaster by trapping civilians in the shrinking area under their control.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/8016683.stm Anticipating an end to Sri Lanka's war], [[BBC]] 2009-04-25</ref> With LTTE on brink of defeat the fate of the leader of LTTE [[Velupillai Prabhakaran]] remained uncertain.<ref>[http://www.livemint.com/2009/02/04214611/With-LTTE-on-the-brink-of-defe.html With LTTE on the brink of defeat, fate of its chief remains a mystery], [[Mint (newspaper)]], 2009-02-04</ref> On May 12, 2009 [[BBC]] reported that LTTE was now clinging on to only about 840 acres of land near town of [[Mullaitivu]] which is roughly the same area as [[Central Park]] of New York.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8045970.stm S Lanka war grinds on despite protests ], [[BBC]], 2009-05-12</ref>

U.N secretary General [[Ban Ki Moon]] appealed on LTTE that children should not be held hostage, recruited as child soldiers or put in harm's way.<ref>[http://www.un.org/News/ossg/hilites/hilites_arch_view.asp?HighID=1359 SRI LANKA: CHILDREN SHOULD NOT BE HELD HOSTAGE, RECRUITED AS SOLDIERS AND PUT IN HARM'S WAY], [[United Nations]], 2009-05-12</ref> [[Claude Heller]] of [[United Nations Security Council]] said 'We demand that the LTTE immediately lay down arms, renounce terrorism, allow a UN-assisted evacuation of the remaining civilians in the conflict area, and join the political process.' The council president, speaking on behalf of the 15 members, also said they 'strongly condemned the LTTE, a terrorist organisation, for the use of civilians as human shields and for not allowing them to leave the area'.<ref>[http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25373750-23109,00.html Tamil Tigers must surrender, says UN Security Council], [[Herald Sun]], 2009-04-23</ref> On May 13, 2009 the UN security council condemned the rebel LTTE again and denounced its use of civilians as human shields and urged them to acknowledge the legitimate right of the government of Sri Lanka to combat terrorism by laying down their arms and allowing the tens of thousands of civilians to leave the conflict zone.<ref>[http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-05/14/content_11369791.htm UN Security Council voices "grave concerns" at humanitarian situation in northeastern Sri Lanka], [[Xinhua News Agency]], 2009-05-13</ref> On May 14, 2009 The [[United Nations]] acting representative for Sri Lanka, Amin Awad, said that 6,000 civilians had fled or were trying to flee, but that LTTE was firing on them to prevent them from escaping.<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/15/world/asia/15lanka.html Trapped Civilians Now Able to Flee, Sri Lanka Says], [[The New York Times]], 2009-05-14</ref>

President [[Mahinda Rajapaksa]] declared military victory over the Tamil Tigers on May 16, 2009 after 26 years of conflict.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8053542.stm Sri Lanka army 'defeats rebels'], [[BBC]], 2009-05-16</ref> On the same day for the first time in their long struggle against the Sri Lankan government, the rebels were offering to lay down their weapons in return for a guarantee of safety.<ref>[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article6301821.ece Fears of mass suicide as Tamil Tigers face final defeat], [[The Times]], 2009-05-17</ref> Sri Lanka's disaster relief and human-rights minister [[Mahinda Samarasinghe]] stated 'The military phase is over. The LTTE has been militarily defeated. Now the biggest hostage rescue operation in the world has come to a conclusion, The figure I have here is since 20th of April, 179,000 hostages have been rescued.'<ref>[http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-05-17-voa11.cfm Sri Lanka Rebels Concede Defeat], [[Voice of America]], 2009-05-17</ref>

On [[May]] 17, [[2009]], rebel official [[Selvarasa Pathmanathan]] conceded defeat saying in an [[email]] statement "This battle has reached its bitter end". Several rebel fighters committed suicide when they became surrounded.<ref>http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/as_sri_lanka_civil_war</ref> On May 18 it was confirmed that the rebel leader [[Velupillai Prabhakaran]] had been killed along with several other high ranking Tamil officials. State run [[television]] interrupted its regular programming and a government information department sent a [[text message]] to [[cell phones]] across the country with the news. Mass celebrations erupted across Sri Lanka to the announcement as the death of Prabhakaran is key to preventing a new guerrilla offensive. From government reports it seems Prabhakaran was riding in an armor-plated van with several top deputies and rebel fighters headed directly towards the advancing Sri Lankan forces. After a two-hour firefight the van was hit by a [[rocket]] killing most if not all of the occupants and ending the battle. Troops removed and have identified the bodies of Prabhakaran as well as [[Colonel Soosai]] (head of the [[Sea Tigers]]) .

==Organisation and activities==
{{Update|type=section}}
===Structure===
The LTTE is organized into three main divisions: a military wing, a political wing and a fund raising wing. A central governing body oversees all of the divisions, which was headed by the LTTE leader, [[Velupillai Prabhakaran]] until his death in May 2009. It is estimated that the LTTE has assets and investments in the range of $300 million to $1 billion.<ref>http://defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20090822_03</ref>

===Military===
[[Image:LTTE car with soldiers in Killinochi april 2004.jpg|thumb|right|Tamil Tigers in a truck in [[Kilinochchi]] in April 2004]]
In the LTTE, recruits are instructed to be prepared to die for the cause, and are issued with a [[cyanide]] capsule to be swallowed in the case of capture.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://observer.guardian.co.uk/world/story/0,,1769335,00.html |title=Tigers tear each other apart |last=Ramesh |first=Randeep |date=7 May 2006 |publisher=Guardian News and Media |work=The Observer |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref> The LTTE also has a special squad of suicide bombers, called the [[Black Tigers]], which it deploys for critical missions.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/south_asia/2516263.stm |title='Black Tigers' Appear in Public |last=Harrison |first=Frances |date=26 November 2002 |publisher=BBC News |agency=[[BBC News]] |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref>

The military wing includes the following specific subdivisions, which are directly controlled and directed by the central governing body:
* [[Sea Tigers]] – an amphibious warfare unit focusing on utilization of naval firepower and logistics, mainly consisting of lightweight boats.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.janes.com/security/international_security/news/jir/jir010307_2_n.shtml |title=Sea Tigers, stealth technology and the North Korean connection |date=7 March 2001 |publisher=Janes Information Group |last=Davies |first=Roger |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref>

* [[Air Tigers]] – an airborne group, consisting of several lightweight aircraft. It is known to be the world's first air force controlled by an organization proscribed as terrorists.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.southasiaanalysis.org/papers14/paper1398.html |title=The World's First Terrorist Air Force |date=2 June 2005 |publisher=South Asia Analysis Group |last=Raman |first=B. |accessdate=2009-02-13}}</ref>

* [[LTTE Black Tiger|Black Tigers]] – a suicide commando unit, which has carried out between 100 and 200 missions.

====Sea Tigers====
{{Main|Sea Tigers}}
[[File:Sea Tiger Colonel Soosai.JPG|thumb|Colonel Soosai of the Sea Tigers]]
The Sea Tigers is the naval force of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and is lead by [[Colonel Soosai]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ipcs.org/article_details.php?articleNo=1757 |title=Tigers with Fins: Naval Wing of the LTTE |date=1 June 2005 |publisher=[[Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies]] |quote=<nowiki>[Sea Tigers]</nowiki> under the command of 'Col' Soosai since its inception in July 1992 |accessdate=2009-02-09}}.</ref> It is believed to have about 2,000 personnel and has become a potent threat to the Sri Lankan Navy at Sea.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.janes.com/security/international_security/news/jdw/jdw060929_1_n.shtml |title=Battles highlight Sea Tigers' capabilities |last=Athas |first=Iqbal |date=29 September 2006 |publisher=Jane's Information Group |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref> According to a 2006 publication of the [[Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs|Woodrow Wilson School of Politics and International Studies]], the Sea Tigers have destroyed 35%-50% of the Sri Lankan Navy's coastal craft.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.energypublisher.com/article.asp?id=9803 |title=LTTE: Technologically innovative rebels |last=Daly |first=John C K |date=5 June 2007 |publisher=EnerPub |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref><ref name=OSF>{{cite journal
|title=The Way Ahead in Sri Lanka
|journal=OSF Discourse
|volume=1
|issue=2
|page= 10
|publisher=Observer Research Foundation
|location=New Delhi
|date=November 2006
|url=http://www.tamilnation.org/intframe/india/0609observer.pdf
|issn=
|doi=
|id=
|format = PDF
|accessdate = 2009-02-09}}</ref>

Following its northern offensive, the Sri Lankan military reported that it captured Sea Tiger main base in [[Mullaitivu]] and several boat yards. In early February 2009, the military reported once again that it captured the last major Sea Tiger base, killing three senior commanders in the process<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7873149.stm |title=Key Tamil Tiger sea base 'falls' |date=5 February 2009 |publisher=BBC News |agency=[[BBC News]] |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref> and thus limiting Sea Tiger operations. Several days later it was claimed that Sea Tigers leader [[Thillaiyampalam Sivanesan|Soosai]] and several top aids were killed in a [[Sri Lanka Air Force]] raid on a command center.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/090208/News/sundaytimesnews_05.html |title=SLAF believes Soosai killed in air attack |last=Wickramasekera |first=Damith |date=8 February 2009 |publisher=Wijeya Newspapers |work=The Sunday Times |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref>

====Air Tigers====
{{Main|Air Tigers}}
The Air Tigers was the air force of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. The Air Tigers were believed to have operated five light aircraft. The organization was revealed in 2007 when it conducted its first air raid on the Sri Lankan Air Force base. It later conducted another four air raids. With the Air Tigers, LTTE became the first non-state organization to establish an air force. Although the Sri Lankan Army captured Kilinochchi on January 2, 2009, it was not able to locate the LTTE aircraft.<ref name=AirTigers>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6597959.stm |title=Air raid scare spooks Sri Lanka |date= 26 April 2007 |agency=[[BBC News]] |publisher=BBC News |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref> Later, two LTTE aircraft were shot down in Colombo during a [[suicide attack]] on the Sri Lanka Air Force headquarters and the Sri Lanka Air Force base hangars in Katunayake<ref name='st-kamikaze'>{{cite news | publisher = The Sunday Times | title = Tigers go kamikaze but attacks fail | url = http://www.sundaytimes.lk/090222/News/sundaytimesnews_02.html| author = Asif Fuard | date = 2009-09-22 | accessdate = 2009-04-14}}</ref>.

====Black Tigers====
{{Main|Black Tigers}}
A Suicide Commando Unit , which is known for carrying deadly attacks against the Sri Lankan Army and also, politicians who opposed their movement of a separate state for the minority Tamil. The Black Tigers are the first to assassinate major political figures and has been known to carry roughly around 100–200 missions, all concluding in a deadly aftermath. Ranging from men to women, attacks were carried out to eliminate enemies for the LTTE to advance and control territory.

===Administrative===
[[Image:Location Tamil Eelam territorial claim3.png|thumb|[[Tamil Eelam]] territorial claim (green) and approximate ''de facto'' territory controlled at the time of the launching of the [[2008–2009 Sri Lankan Army Northern offensive]] (yellow).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.defence.lk/orbat/Default.asp |title=Battle Progress Map |publisher=Sri Lanka Ministry of Defense |date=5 February 2009 |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://op-for.com/cia_sri_lanka.jpg |title=OP FOR |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref> During the final army offensive, however, all of this area was recaptured by Sri Lankan forces.]]
[[Image:Sri Lanka Native Tamil.svg|thumb|Percentage of Sri Lankan Tamils per district based on the census from 2001 or 1981 (''cursive''), the last census year in Tamil regions.]]
Although the LTTE was formed as a military group, it later transformed into a ''de facto'' government. The LTTE controlled sections in the north of the island, especially the regions lying around the cities of [[Kilinochchi]] and Mullaitivu.
* [[Political Wing of LTTE]]- The Chief/Leader was Anton Balasingam, who also held as a key influence in major peace talks with Sri Lanka and the third-party of Norway. After his death on December 14, 2006, B. Nadesan took over as political head and lead the political wing of the LTTE
* [[Tiger Intelligence]] – The intelligence wing, which has helped the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam with exclusive missions such as radars and more to prepare the military for an attack. Pottu Amman, the leader of the Intelligence Wing was believed to be shot by the Sri Lankan Army on May 19, 2009
* [[International Relations]] – They are believed to be the only LTTE Wing to be standing after the Sri Lankan's Army's final offensive; it is led by current leader Selvarasa Pathmanathan. From an unknown location, operating outside Sri Lanka/Tamil Eelam, the International Relations Wing is now going to lead the LTTE and Tamil Eelam into exile in regards to a provisional transnational government. {{Citation needed|date=October 2009}}

====Tiger Courts====
The LTTE implemented a judicial system that consisted of courts to adjudicate in criminal and civil matters. The [[Tamil Eelam]] judicial system consisted of district courts, high courts, a supreme court and a court of appeal. The district courts handled civil and criminal cases. The two high courts handled criminal cases such as [[rape]], [[murder]], [[treason]] and [[arson]]. The supreme court had jurisdiction over the whole of Tamil Eelam. The courts were said to be effective,<ref name=Stokke2006>{{cite journal
| author = Stokke, K.
| year = 2006
| title = Building the Tamil Eelam State: emerging state institutions and forms of governance in LTTE-controlled areas in Sri Lanka
| journal = Third World Quarterly
| volume = 27
| issue = 6
| pages = 1021–1040
| doi = 10.1080/01436590600850434
}}</ref> and people who had a choice went to the Tamil Eelam courts rather than the [[Sri Lanka]]n courts.<ref name=Stokke2006/> LTTE also released law books that were updated.<ref name=McConnell2008/><ref name=Stokke2006/><ref name=Ranganathan2002>{{cite journal
| author = Ranganathan, M.
| year = 2002
| title = Nurturing a Nation on the Net: The Case of Tamil Eelam
| journal = Nationalism and Ethnic Politics
| volume = 8
| issue = 2
| pages = 51–66
| url = http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/routledg/nep/2002/00000008/00000002/art00004
| accessdate = 2008-03-25
}}</ref><ref name=Nadarajah2005>{{cite journal
| author = Nadarajah, S.
| coauthors = Sriskandarajah, D.
| year = 2005
| title = Liberation struggle or terrorism? The politics of naming the ltte
| journal = Third World Quarterly
| volume = 26
| issue = 1
| pages = 87–100
| doi = 10.1080/0143659042000322928
}}</ref>

====Tiger Police====
LTTE also established a police force. The Tamil Eelam police was the other key factor in maintaining law and order. The police was formed in 1991 and, prior to the 2009 offensive, had its headquarters at Kilinochchi.<ref name=McConnell2008/> Police stations were established in all areas controlled by the LTTE. The LTTE claimed that its police force was the reason for the low crime rate, but critics of the LTTE claim that the police force was an integrated arm of the LTTE armed force and that the crime rate is low as a result of LTTE authoritarian rules. However, everyone agrees the police force and the judicial system was the reason for high degree of rule of law in the areas controlled by the LTTE.<ref name=Stokke2006/>

====Social Welfare====
Another state function of the LTTE administration was social welfare. This humanitarian assistant arm was funded by [[tax]] collection internally.<ref name=Stokke2006/><ref name=Ranganathan2002/><ref name=Nadarajah2005/> LTTE also established an education and health sector that offered services to the people under their control.<ref name=McConnell2008/> It also created a [[human rights]] organization, called Northeast Secretariat on Human Rights, that functioned to advocate the rights of Tamils. Though not recognized by international government, it acted as a human rights commission. The commission communicated with the LTTE regarding complaints of child recruiting which resulted in the release of the recruit.<ref name=Stokke2006/> The Planning and Development Secretariat (PDS) was established in 2004 which acted as a needs assessment body responsible for studying the needs for people and formulating a plan for effective action in areas that needed humanitarian assistance. There were also many civil servants who worked in the LTTE-controlled areas who were directed by the LTTE but paid by the Sri Lankan government.<ref name=Stokke2006/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?ItemID=11623 |title=Roots of Conflict in Sri Lanka |last=Spencer |first=Jonathan |date=12 December 2006 |publisher=Znet |accessdate=2009-02-10}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lines-magazine.org/Art_Feb03/Sarvi_Jaffna.htm |title=What Impede Economic Revival in the North&amp;East Province of Sri Lanka? |last=Sarvananthan |first=Muttukrishna |publisher=Lines Magazine |date=25 January 2003 |accessdate=2009-02-10}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.hindu.com/2006/07/17/stories/2006071705341400.htm |title=LTTE is siphoning off Government funds |date=17 July 2006 |last=Reddy |first=B. Muralidhar |publisher=The Hindu |work=The Hindu |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref> A [[customs]] service was operated at the "border" by the Tamil Tigers.<ref name=Nadarajah2005/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://nithiththurai.com/aayam |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20071013043106/nithiththurai.com/aayam/ |archivedate=2007-10-13 |title=Custom Tamileelam |publisher=Ayam Tamileelam |date=13 October 2005 |accessdate=2009-02-13}}</ref>

====Voice of Tigers====
In addition to the civil administration, LTTE also ran its own [[radio]] and [[television]] stations. These entities were named the ''[http://www.pulikalinkural.com Voice of Tigers]'' and ''National Tamil Eelam Television'' respectively. Both the radio and television channel were aired from the areas under LTTE control.<ref name=Ranganathan2002/>
<!-- link to non-english home page, no reference to supporting text<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pulikalinkural.com |title=Voice of Tigers}}</ref> -->

====Bank of Tamileelam====
LTTE also ran a [[bank]] named the Bank of Tamileelam which used the [[Sri Lankan rupee]] as its currency but offered higher [[interest rate]]s than any bank on the island.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.sangam.org/articles/view/?id=260 |title=Tamileelam Bank Symbol of Sri Lankan Rebel Autonomy |last=De Clercq |first=Geert |date=16 March 2004 |publisher=Ilankai Tamil Sangam, USA |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://hk-imail.singtao.com/news_detail.asp?we_cat=9&art_id=1899&sid=4677414&con_type=1&d_str=20050923 |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20070311055057/http://hk-imail.singtao.com/news_detail.asp?we_cat=9&art_id=1899&sid=4677414&con_type=1&d_str=20050923 |archivedate=2007-03-11 |title=Tiger bank roars ahead |publisher=Standard Newspapers Publishing |date=23 September 2005 |accessdate=2009-02-13}}</ref>

Following the Sri Lankan Army's capture of the claimed LTTE administrative capital [[Kilinochchi]]<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.hindu.com/2009/01/03/stories/2009010357740100.htm |title=Kilinochchi captured in devastating blow to LTTE |date=3 January 2009 |last=Reddy |first=B. Muralidhar |publisher=The Hindu |work=The Hindu |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref> on 2 January 2009, the LTTE's administration system has been dismantled.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://voanews.com/english/2009-01-02-voa6.cfm |title=Sri Lankan Army Captures Key Tamil Tiger Stronghold |last=Pasricha |first=Anjana |date=2 January 2009 |publisher=[[Voice of America]] |work=VOANews |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref>

===Humanitarian assistance===
After the [[Asian Tsunami]] in 2004, the Tigers set up a special task force called the "tsunami task force" for humanitarian assistance to the people affected by the tsunami. The Planning and Development Secretariat (PDS) was responsible for needs assessments for various humanitarian organization to maximize effectiveness of resettlement reconstruction and rehabilitation. After the tsunami, the PDS was responsible of coordinating and directing the NGOs involved in tsunami relief work.<ref name=Stokke2006/> Furthermore, according to Tsunami Evaluation Coalition the key NGOs that responded also claimed that the LTTE forces provided extremely efficient and focused leadership and support to the relief effort in the areas controlled by the Tigers.<ref name= Tsunami>{{cite journal
| author = ,
| year =
| title = Coordination of International Humanitarian Assistance in Tsunami-Affected Countries
| url = http://www.tsunami-evaluation.org/NR/rdonlyres/6A1C7C4D-D99C-4ECE-A207-99589C212E78/0/coordination_sri_lanka.pdf
| accessdate = 2008-03-29
|format=PDF}}</ref>

During the second round of negotiation between Tigers and the Government of Sri Lanka, an agreement was reached for a joint Post-Tsunami Operational Management Structure (P-TOMS). This mechanism would allow the government and LTTE to share funds for tsunami relief. However, this agreement was bitterly opposed by hardliners in the government and some moderates. As a result, the P-TOMS was challenged in the Sri Lankan supreme court. The court put the P-TOMS on hold.<ref name=Stokke2006/><ref name= Tsunami/>

===Political===
The 2002 Cease Fire Agreement made the LTTE shift its struggle for self-determination from militant to more political means. The LTTE's own political wing was the result of this. This political wing also played a critical role in regard to both the peace process and local state building. However, LTTE's political wing did not participate in Sri Lankan parliamentary elections. The LTTE instead openly supported the [[Tamil National Alliance]], which won overwhelmingly in 22 out of 25 electorates in the North-east and won over 90% of votes in the [[electoral district]] of [[Jaffna]].<ref name=McConnell2008/><ref name=Stokke2006/><ref>[http://archive.srilankanelections.com/dist2004/10.htm 2004 General Election results - Jaffna District]{{Dead link|date=July 2008}}</ref>

===Religion===
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam is a secular organization, regarding the religious beliefs of its members as private matters<ref>{{cite news |first=N. |last=Manoharan |authorlink= |author= |coauthors= |title=Two decades of Tiger strikes |url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/two-decades-of-tiger-strikes/204041/2 |format=Online |agency= |work= |publisher=Indian Express |location= |id= |pages= |page= |date=July 7, 2007 |accessdate=June 17, 2009 |quote= |archiveurl= |archivedate= }}</ref>

===Women in LTTE===
[[Image:Women at war.jpg|thumb|right|Sothiya Regiment of the LTTE – Female soldiers]]
In 1984, LTTE created an all-female unit called the Freedom Birds (''Suthanthirap Paravaikal''). This unit was the first group of women to be given military training in India. The LTTE advocates equality for women from both male oppression and social oppression.<ref name='fcsa-07/28/04-ww'>{{cite journal | last = Kainz | first = Joe | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = Women Warriors | journal = Focus Asia | volume = | issue = | pages = | publisher = |date=July 25, 2004 | url = http://focusasia.startv.com/indepth.php?CLIP_DATE=20040725&CLIP_NO=1 | doi = | id = | accessdate = 2007-06-25 | format = {{Dead link|date=April 2009}} – <sup>[http://scholar.google.co.uk/scholar?hl=en&lr=&q=author%3AKainz+intitle%3AWomen+Warriors&as_publication=Focus+Asia&as_ylo=&as_yhi=&btnG=Search Scholar search]</sup> }}</ref><ref name=Schalk1994>{{cite journal
| author = Schalk, P.
| year = 1994
| title = Women Fighters of the Liberation Tigers in Tamil Ilam. the Martial Feminism of Atel Palacinkam
| journal = South Asia Research
| volume = 14
| issue = 2
| pages = 163
| doi = 10.1177/026272809401400203
}}</ref> This support for equality attracted many women into the LTTE ranks. As a result LTTE became the first Tamil militant group to employ women as soldiers in the battlefield.{{Citation needed|date=April 2008}} Tamil women believe that their participation in the armed struggle will bring them advantage in a future peaceful society and allow them to take part in "liberating" their society. The proportion of female combatants was small until June 1990, but increased rapidly afterward.<ref name=Schalk1994/> Freedom Birds' first operation was in October 1987 and the first woman combatant to die was 2nd [[Lt. Maalathi]],<ref name=Schalk1994/><ref name='fcsa-07/28/04-ww'/> on October 10, 1987, in an encounter with the [[IPKF]] at Kopai on the [[Jaffna]] peninsula. An estimated 4000 women cadres have been killed since then, including over 100 in 'Black Tiger' suicide squads.<ref name='fcsa-07/28/04-ww'/> Apart from military roles, the female soldiers have also produced numerous publications and many of them are described as rich in culture and writing.<ref name=Schalk1994/><ref name=Schalk1992>{{cite journal
| author = Schalk, P.
| year = 1992
| title = Birds of independence’: on the participation of Tamil women in armed struggle
| journal = Lanka December
}}</ref><ref name=Schalk1997>{{cite journal
| author = Schalk, P.
| year = 1997
| title = Historisation of the martial ideology of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam (LTTE)
| journal = South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies
| volume = 20
| issue = 2
| pages = 35–72
| doi = 10.1080/00856409708723295
}}</ref>

===List of commanders===
Current and former senior LTTE commanders are listed below. Some of the names are aliases that don't reflect the person's religious background.

{| class="wikitable"
|- style="background: #efefef;"
|-
|[[Shanmugalingam Sivashankar]]
|[[Thillaiyampalam Sivanesan]]
|[[Balasegaram Kandiah]]
|-
|[[Vaithilingam Sornalingam]]
|[[S. P. Thamilselvan]]
|[[Sathasivam Krishnakumar]]
|-
|[[Thileepan]]
|[[Ramalingam Paramadeva]]
|[[Colonel Jeyam]]<ref>{{cite news |first= |last= |title=Peace sacrificed for counter insurgency by Colombo - Col. Jeyam |url=http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=18263 |work=Tamilnet|date=2008-10-07 |accessdate=2008-10-07}}</ref>
|-
|[[Colonel Theepan]]<ref>{{cite news |first= |last= |title=LTTE's military strength key to Tamils' future- Theepan|url=http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=17558 |work=Tamilnet|date=2008-10-07 |accessdate=2008-10-07}}</ref>
|[[Colonel Ramesh]]<ref>{{cite news |first= |last= |title=‘Karuna’s colleagues are returning’- Col. Ramesh|url=http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=11765 |work=Tamilnet|date=2008-10-07 |accessdate=2008-10-07}}</ref>
|[[Kandiah Ulaganathan]]<ref>{{cite news |first= |last= |title=Col. Ramanan
|url=http://www.tamilnation.org/tamileelam/maveerar/ramanan.htm |work=Tamilnation.org |date=2008-10-07 |accessdate=2008-10-07}}</ref>
|-
|[[Colonel Bhanu]]<ref>{{cite news |first= |last= |title=The taking of Elephant Pass
|url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl1710/17100100.htm|work=Hinduonnet |date=2008-10-07 |accessdate=2008-10-07}}</ref>
|[[Colonel Sornam]]<ref>{{cite news |first= |last= |title=Colonel Sornam visits army-controlled areas in Trinco|url=http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=13797 |work=Tamilnet |date=2008-10-07 |accessdate=2008-10-07}}</ref>
|[[Colonel Vithusha]]<ref>{{cite news |first= |last= |title=Charles Anthony Brigade celebrates 15th anniversary of inauguration|url=http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=17735| work=Tamilnet |date=2008-10-07 |accessdate=2008-10-07}}</ref>
|-
|[[Colonel Thurka]]<ref>{{cite news |first= |last= |title=Junior LTTE officers complete training
|url=http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=9502| work=Tamilnet |date=2003-07-26 |accessdate=2008-10-09}}</ref>
|[[Shanmuganathan Ravishankar]]<ref>{{cite news |first= |last= |title=Vanni pays homage to Col. Charles|url=http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=24205| work=Tamilnet |date=2008-01-06 |accessdate=2008-12-17}}</ref>
|[[Captain Miller]]<ref>{{cite news |first= |last= |title=Secrets of their success
|url=http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/world/ny-wosri0719,0,990180.story?page=2&coll=ny-top-headlines| work=NewsToday |date=2005-07-18 |accessdate=2008-12-17}}</ref>
|-
|[[Maria Vasanthi Michael]]<ref>{{cite news |first= |last= |title=Maria Vasanthi Michael - Sothia
|url=http://www.tamilnation.org/tamileelam/maveerar/sothia.htm| work=Tamilnation |date=2008-12-17 |accessdate=2008-12-17}}</ref>
|[[Marcelin Fuselus]]<ref>{{cite news |first= |last= |title=Women & the Struggle for Tamil Eelam
|url=http://www.tamilnation.org/women/90womenguerillas.htm| work=Tamilnation |year=1998 |accessdate=2008-12-17}}</ref>
|[[Sathasivam Selvanayakam]]
|-
|[[Charles Lucas Anthony]]
|[[Captain Pandithar]]
|[[Yogaratnam Kugan]]
|-
|[[Lt. Colonel Ratha]]
|[[Colonel Santhosham|Lt. Colonel Santhosham]]
|[[Colonel Pulendran|Lt. Colonel Pulendran]]
|-
|[[Ambalavanar Neminathan]]
|[[Colonel Pathuman]]
|[[Manickapodi Maheswaran]]
|-
|[[Colonel Kumarappa|Lt. Colonel Kumarappa]]
|[[Lt. Maalathi]]
|[[Lt Colonel Appaiah]]
|-
|[[Colonel Akbar|Lt. Colonel Akbar]]
|[[Thambirasa Kuhasanthan]]
|[[Gangai Amaran (LTTE)]]
|-
|[[Major Mano]]
|[[Balasingham Nadesan]]
|[[Irasaiah Ilanthirayan]]
|-
|[[V.Balakumaran (LTTE)]]
|[[Cheliyan]]
|[[Colonel Karuna]]
|-
|}

===Other formations===
{| class="wikitable"
|- style="background: #efefef;"
|-
|[[Charles Anthony Brigade]]
|[[Jeyanthan Brigade]]
|[[Sothiya Regiment]]
|-
|[[Maalathi Regiment]]
|[[Kuti Sri Mortar Unit]]
|[[Victor Anti Tank and Armoured Unit]]
|-
|[[Imran Pandiyan Unit]]
|[[LTTE Anti-Aircraft Unit]]
|[[Kittu Artillery Unit]]
|-
|[[Ponnamman Mining Unit]]
|[[Ratha Regiment]]
|[[Puki]]
|
|-
|}

==Links to other designated terrorist organizations==
As early as the mid-1970s, LTTE rebels were widely known to have trained members of the [[Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine]] in Southern [[Lebanon]], where concepts of suicide bombings, taxation, and war memorials were imparted to PFLP fighters.<ref name="westminsterjournal.com">{{cite news |url=http://westminsterjournal.com/content/view/28/ |title=The LTTE Siding With The Enemy |last=Whiteman |first=Dominic |date=16 December 2007 |publisher=The Westminster Journal |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref> After the 1990 assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, Indian government officials claimed to have discovered a covert link between the [[PLO]] and the LTTE: the PLO had plead for Mr. Gandhi to accept a proposal from the LTTE. This advice raised eyebrows at the time, but was largely ignored until his assassination shortly thereafter.<ref name="westminsterjournal.com"/>

As late as 1998, the Tigers clearly stated:<blockquote>
... the LTTE has resolved to work in solidarity with the world national liberation movements, socialist states, and international working class parties. We uphold an anti-imperialist policy and therefore we pledge our militant solidarity against western imperialism, neo-colonialists, Zionism, racism and other forces of reaction.<ref name="westminsterjournal.com"/>
</blockquote>

The ''[[Westminster Journal]]'' further states:<blockquote>
Intelligence agencies are well aware that the LTTE was involved in the 1990s in training the [[Moro Islamic Liberation Front]] (MILF) and the [[Abu Sayyaf Group]] (ASG) both of which are closely linked to [[al-Qaeda]]. In 1995 and 1998, an LTTE combat tactician and an LTTE explosives expert accompanying groups of al-Qaeda Arabs was recorded training members of MILF. In 1999, an LTTE combat tactician accompanying a group of al-Qaeda Arabs was recorded training members of the ASG. At the apparent behest of al-Qaeda, the LTTE is recorded training members of [[Al Ummah]] (An Islamic terrorist group formed in India in 1992, believed to be responsible for bombings in southern India in 1998) in [[Tamil Nadu]], India.<ref name="westminsterjournal.com"/>
</blockquote>

The ''[[Times of India]]'', in a 2001 article, highlights an alleged nexus between al-Qaeda and the LTTE, and claims that "<nowiki>[al-Qaeda links with the LTTE]</nowiki> are the first instance of an Islamist group collaborating with an essentially secular outfit".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/780319387.cms |title=Osama hand in glove with LTTE |last=Ahmed |first=Rashmee Z |date=22 September 2001 |publisher=Bennett Coleman |work=The Times of India |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref> Additionally, the US-based research organisation "Maritime Intelligence Group" said the Indonesian group [[Jemaah Islamiya]], which has known links to al-Qaeda, had been trained in sea-borne guerrilla tactics by LTTE Sea Tiger [[veteran]]s.<ref name="westminsterjournal.com"/>

"Norwegians Against Terrorism", a [[one-man band]] led by [[convicted]] [[murderer]] Falk Rune Rovik,<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/sinhala/news/story/2007/04/070418_opne_letter.shtml Norway dismisses allegations], ''BBCSinhala.com'', 18 April 2007.</ref><ref name="Aftenposten">[http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/article1745563.ece Ex-convict causing trouble], ''Aftenposten'', 19 April 2007.</ref> further described how the Tamil community in Norway, at the behest of the LTTE, sold fake and stolen Norwegian passports to al-Qaeda members.<ref name="westminsterjournal.com"/> The LTTE itself acquired a fake passport for [[Ramzi Yousef]], convicted mastermind of the [[World Trade Center bombing|1993 attack on the World Trade Center]] in [[New York]].<ref name="westminsterjournal.com"/>

A ''[[Council on Foreign Affairs]]'' article by Preeti Bhattacharji stated, "the secular nationalist LTTE currently has no operational connection with al-Qaeda, its radical Islamist affiliates, or other terrorist groups,"<ref name=cfr>{{cite web |url=http://www.cfr.org/publication/9242 |title=Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (Sri Lanka, separatists) |last=Bhattacharji |first=Preeti |publisher=Council on Foreign Relations |date=21 July 2008 (updated) |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref> but "In its early days, experts say the LTTE did train with the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). The group may still interact with other terrorist organizations through illegal arms markets in [[Myanmar]], [[Thailand]], and [[Cambodia]]."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cfr.org/publication/9242#5 |title=Does the LTTE have ties to al-Qaeda or other terrorist groups? |last=Bhattacharji |first=Preeti |publisher=Council on Foreign Relations |date=21 July 2008 (updated) |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref>

===LTTE tactics in other terrorist organizations===
Some of LTTE's attacks in [[Sri Lanka]] have similarities to attacks by, other proscribed groups. Some examples are:
* The similarities between previous LTTE attacks against [[Sri Lankan Navy|Sri Lanka Navy]] ships and the al-Qaeda [[USS Cole bombing|attack]] on the [[USS Cole (DDG-67)|USS ''Cole'']] which killed 17 [[United States Navy|US Navy]] sailors.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/FJ20Ae02.html |title=Part 2: Tides of terror lap Southeast Asia |last=Koo |first=Eric |date=20 October 2004 |publisher=Asia Times |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref> The incident has raised suspicions of connections between the two groups. The "Maritime Intelligence Group" based in Washington DC claims to have unearthed substantial evidence that the LTTE trained Indonesian Islamists in the technique of maritime suicide bombings. The group, linked to al-Qaeda, is believed to have then passed the technique it learned from the LTTE to al-Qaeda itself.<ref name="westminsterjournal.com"/>
* The website "South Asian Terrorism Portal" claimed that the LTTE provided forged passports to [[Ramzi Yousef]], who was one of the planners of the [[World Trade Center bombing|first attack]] against the [[World Trade Center]] in New York in 1993.<ref name=stap11>{{cite web |url=http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/sair/Archives/5_37.htm |title=Tigers sold Norwegian passports to al-Qaeda |date=26 March 2007 |publisher=South Asia Intelligence Review (SAIR) |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref> The allegation has been backed by the Westminster Journal as well.<ref name="westminsterjournal.com"/>
* The website "South Asian Terrorism Portal" also states that there are increasing intelligence reports that the LTTE was smuggling arms to various terrorist organizations, including Islamic groups in Pakistan and their counterparts in the [[Philippines]],<ref name="stap11"/> using their covert smuggling networks. The [[London]]-based [[International Institute for Strategic Studies]] found that LTTE was building commercial links with al-Qaeda and other militants in [[Afghanistan]], and that several cadres were spotted in Afghan militant camps.<ref name="westminsterjournal.com"/><ref>{{citation
|url=http://www.tcf.org/list.asp?type=TN&pubid=1569
|first=Michael | last = Shtender-Auerbach
|organization=[[The Century Foundation]]
|date=3 May 2007
|title=What Happens When a "Poor Man's Air Force" Goes Airborne?
|accessdate=2009-02-09
}}.</ref><ref>{{citation
|url=http://www.globalpolitician.com/articledes.asp?ID=3221&cid=3&sid=74
|publisher=Global Politician
|title=Another Banned Terrorist Group In London
|first=Glen |last=Jenvey
|date=2007-08-07
|accessdate=2009-02-09}}.</ref>
* Falk Rovik, a [[convicted]] [[murderer]],<ref name="Aftenposten"/> accused the LTTE of stealing Norwegian passports and selling them to al-Qaeda in [[Algeria]] to earn money to buy weapons. He further alleged that funds from [[Government of Norway]] had been inadvertently diverted to the LTTE.<ref>[http://www.dailynews.lk/2007/03/20/sec01.asp Tigers sold Norwegian passports to al-Qaeda], Walter Jayawardhana, ''Sri Lanka Daily News'', 20 March 2007.</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/article1745563.ece |title=Ex-convict causing trouble |publisher=Aftenposten |last=Tisdall |first=Jonathan |date=19 April 2007 |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref>
* India's National Security Adviser, M K Narayanan, alleges that LTTE raises money by smuggling [[narcotics]]. A recent arrest of LTTE operatives in [[Colombia]] corroborates this claim.<ref name="westminsterjournal.com"/>
* According to an "anti-LTTE" website, [[Glen Jenvey]], a former employee of the government of Sri Lanka and a specialist on international terrorism, claimed that al-Qaeda has copied most of its terror tactics from the LTTE<ref name=at-2/12/07>{{cite news |url=http://www.asiantribune.com/index.php?q=node/4518 |title=al-Qaeda follows LTTE text book on terror faithfully |publisher=Asian Tribune |date=12 February 2007 |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref> He highlighted the LTTE as the mastermind that sets the pattern for organizations like al-Qaeda to pursue. The Maritime Intelligence Group in Washington DC even states that al-Qaeda learned the tactic through LTTE contacts teaching Indonesians the methods.<ref>http://www.iiss.org/whats-new/iiss-in-the-press/april-2009/embattled-tigers-mull-taking-their-war-abroad/</ref>
* According to ''[[Asian Tribune]]'', attacks on civilians in buses and trains in Sri Lanka were copied in the attack on public civilian transport during [[7 July 2005 London bombings|July 2005 bombings]] in London.<ref name=at-2/12/07/>
* The LTTE's ethnic cleansing campaigns against Muslims in northern Sri Lanka from 1985 to 1992 provided the inspiration for, and model by which, Kashmiri separatists would evict [[Hindus]] from [[Kashmir]] in late 1989–1990.<ref name="westminsterjournal.com"/>

==Assassinations==
{{Main|List of assassinations of the Sri Lankan Civil War}}

The LTTE has been condemned by various groups for assassination of political and military opponents. The victims include Tamil moderates who coordinated with Sri Lanka Government, Tamil paramilitary groups assisting Sri Lankan Army. The assassination of [[Ranasinghe Premadasa]], who was the head of Sri Lanka, is attributed to LTTE.

LTTE sympathizers justify some of the assassinations by arguing that the people attacked were combatants or persons closely associated with Sri Lankan [[military intelligence]]. Specifically in relation to the [[TELO]], the LTTE has said that it had to perform preemptive [[Self-defense|self-defence]] because the TELO was in effect functioning as a proxy for India.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl1617/16171020.htm | title=Chronicle of murders | author =
T. S. Subramanian |month=August | year=1999 | publisher = Hindu Net}}</ref>

==Human rights violations==
The [[United States Department of State]] states that its reason for banning LTTE as a proscribed terrorist group is based on allegations that LTTE does not respect [[human rights]] and that it does not adhere to the standards of conduct expected of a [[resistance movement]] or what might be called "[[freedom fighters]]".<ref name=DOS-2004>{{citation
|url=http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41744.htm
|contribution=Sri Lanka
|title=Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2004
|author=Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
|publisher=[[United States Department of State]]
|date=February 28, 2005
|accessdate=2009-02-09
}}.</ref><ref name=UNHCHR-1994>{{citation
|url=http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/A4C0BEC5C39CEDACC12571E0005456C3?opendocument
|title=UN Expert welcomes Proposed Sri Lanka Commission
|author=United Nations Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial executions
|publisher=[[Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights]]
|date=5 September 2006
|accessdate=2009-02-09
}}.</ref><ref name=HRW-Ganguly-2006>{{citation
|title = Sri Lanka: time to act
|first = Meenakshi | last = Ganguly
|journal = Open Democracy
|date=11 September 2006
|publisher=[[Human Rights Watch]]
}}.</ref><ref name=Clapham2006>{{citation
|url=http://www.genevacall.org/resources/testi-reference-materials/testi-other-documents/clapham-27jan06.pdf
|format=PDF
|title=Human Rights Obligations of Non-State Actors
|first=Andrew
|last=Clapham
|organization=Academy of European Law, European University Institute
|date=27 January 2006
|accessdate=2009-02-09
}}.</ref> The [[FBI]] has described the LTTE as "amongst the most dangerous and deadly extremist outfits in the world".<ref name=fbi-011008>{{cite web |url=http://www.fbi.gov/page2/jan08/tamil_tigers011008.html |title=Taming The Tamil Tigers |author=Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) |publisher=U.S. Federal Government, U.S. Department of Justice |date=10 January 2008 |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref> Other countries have also proscribed LTTE under the same rationale. Numerous countries and international organizations have accused the LTTE of attacking civilians and recruits children.<ref name=JIGR>{{cite web |url=http://www.janes.com/security/international_security/news/usscole/jir001020_1_n.shtml |title=Suicide terrorism: a global threat |publisher=[[Jane's Information Group]] |date=20 October 2000 |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref>

===Attacks on civilians===
{{Main|List of attacks attributed to the LTTE}}

The LTTE has launched attacks on civilian targets several times. Notable attacks include the [[Aranthalawa Massacre]],<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.dailynews.lk/2007/05/24/news26.asp |title=Aranthalawa massacre, one of the darkest chapters in Lankan history |accessdate=4 January 2009 |author=Nadira Gunatilleke |publisher=Daily News |date=24 May 2007}}</ref> [[Anuradhapura massacre]],<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,957036,00.html |title=Sri Lanka Tamil Terror |accessdate=4 January 2009 |author= |publisher=The Time |date=27 May 1985}}</ref> [[Kattankudy mosque massacre]],<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?lang=e&id=5E7F89A231872062802569A600601598 |title=Human rights violations in a context of armed conflict |accessdate=4 January 2009 |work= |publisher=Amnesty International USA |date=}}</ref> the [[Kebithigollewa massacre]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.america.gov/st/washfile-english/2006/June/20060615115032ndyblehs0.351742.html |title=United States Condemns Terrorist Attack on Sri Lankan Bus |accessdate=4 January 2009 |author=David Shelby |publisher=US Department of State |date=15 June 2006}}</ref> and the [[Dehiwala train bombing]].<ref name="news.bbc.co.uk">{{Cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/51435.stm |title=Timeline of the Tamil conflict |accessdate=4 January 2009 |work= |publisher=BBC News |date=4 September 2000}}</ref> Civilians have also been killed in attacks on economic targets, such as the [[Central Bank bombing]].<ref name="news.bbc.co.uk"/><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/january/31/newsid_4083000/4083095.stm |title=1996: Fifty dead in Sri Lanka suicide bombing |accessdate=4 January 2009 |author= |publisher=BBC News |date=}}</ref>

===Child soldiers===
{{Main|Militant use of children in Sri Lanka}}
[[File:LTTE child soldiers.jpg|thumb|right|Child soldiers conscripted by the LTTE]]
The LTTE has been accused of recruiting and using child soldiers to fight against Sri Lankan government forces.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/1999/442.htm |title=Sri Lanka: Country Reports on Human Rights Practices |date=23 February 2000 |publisher=[[United States Department of State]] |author=Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor |accessdate=2009-02-10}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/rsd/rsddocview.html?tbl=RSDCOI&id=43cfaea725&count=1 |title=Human Rights Watch World Report 2006 - Sri Lanka |date=18 January 2006 |publisher=[[United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees]] |accessdate=2009-02-10}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hrw.org/reports/2004/childsoldiers0104/16.htm |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20070516141422/http://www.hrw.org/reports/2004/childsoldiers0104/16.htm |archivedate=2007-05-16 |title=Child Soldier Use 2003: A Briefing for the 4th UN Security Council Open Debate on Children and Armed Conflict: Sri Lanka |month=January |year=2003 |publisher=[[Human Rights Watch]] |accessdate=2009-02-13}}</ref> The LTTE was accused of having up to 5,794 child soldiers in its ranks since 2001.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/1129/p07s02-wosc.html |title=Outrage over child soldiers in Sri Lanka |last=Raman |first=Nachammai |date=29 November 2006 |publisher=[[The Christian Science Monitor]] |accessdate=2009-02-10}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4712318.stm |title=UN plea to Tigers on child troops |date=14 February 2006 |publisher=BBC News| agency=[[BBC News]] |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref>

Amid international pressure, the LTTE announced in July 2003 that it would stop conscripting child soldiers, but both [[UNICEF]]<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/04/28/asia/AS-GEN-Sri-Lanka-Child-Soldiers.php |title=UN says Sri Lankan group continues to recruit child soldiers |date=27 April 2007
|publisher=[[International Herald Tribune]] |agency=[[Associated Press]] |accessdate=2009-02-10}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.unicef.org/media/media_21990.html |title=Children being caught up in recruitment drive in north east |date=26 June 2004 |publisher=[[United Nations Children's Fund]] |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref> and [[Human Rights Watch]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hrw.org/english/docs/2005/01/14/slanka10016.htm |title=Sri Lanka: Child Tsunami Victims Recruited by Tamil Tigers |date=13 January 2005 |publisher=[[Human Rights Watch]] |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref> have accused it of reneging on its promises, and of conscripting Tamil children orphaned by the [[tsunami]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4171251.stm |title=Tamil Tigers 'drafting children' | date=January 13, 2005 |publisher=BBC News |agency=[[BBC News]] |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref> However, since 2007, the LTTE has claimed that it will release all of the recruits under the age of 18 before the end of the year. On 18 June 2007, the LTTE released 135 children under 18. [[UNICEF]], along with the [[United States]], states that there has been a significant drop in LTTE recruitment of children, but claims that 506 child recruits remain under the LTTE.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://web.amnesty.org/library/index/engASA370172007?open&of=eng-LKA |title=Sri Lanka: Amnesty International urges LTTE to live up to its pledge to end child recruitment |publisher=[[Amnesty International]] |date=10 July 2007 |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref> A report released by the LTTE's Child Protection Authority (CPA) in 2008 reported that less than 40 soldiers under age 18 remained in its forces.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ltteps.org/?view=2095&folder=17 |title=Status of UNICEF database on underage LTTE members |date=23 January 2009 (updated) |publisher=Peace Secretariat of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref> However in 2009 a [[Special Representative of the Secretary-General]] of the [[United Nations]] said the Tamil Tigers "continue to recruit children to fight on the frontlines", and "use force to keep many civilians, including children, in harms way".<ref name='srsc-comment'>{{cite news | title=Security Council open debate on children and armed conflict: Statement by SRSG Radhika Coomaraswamy | date=2009-04-29 | url =http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900SID/SNAA-7RL3KL?OpenDocument | work =Relief Web | accessdate = 2009-05-15}}</ref>

The LTTE argues that instances of child recruitment occurred mostly in the east, under the purview of former LTTE regional commander [[Colonel Karuna]]. After leaving the LTTE and forming the [[TMVP]], it is alleged that Karuna continued to forcibly kidnap and induct child soldiers.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/COL319390.htm |title=Agreements Reached Between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam |date=23 February 2006 |publisher=Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission}}{{Dead link|date=February 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/holnus/001200801311401.htm|work=[[The Hindu]]|accessdate=2009-03-07}}</ref> Its official position is that earlier, some of its cadres erroneously recruited volunteers in their late teens.{{Citation needed|date=December 2007}} It says that its official policy is now that it will not accept child soldiers. It also says that some underage youths lie about their age and are therefore allowed to join, but are sent back home to their parents as soon as they are discovered to be underage.{{Citation needed|date=December 2007}}

===Suicide bombings===
{{Main| Black Tigers}}

The LTTE pioneered the use of concealed suicide bomb vests.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://acd.iiss.org/armedconflict/Mainpages/dsp_ConflictBackground.asp?ConflictID=174 |title=Sri Lanka (LTTE) Historical Background |publisher=[[International Institute for Strategic Studies]] |work=IISS Armed Conflict Database |year=2003 |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref> According to [[Jane's Information Group]], between 1980 and 2000, the LTTE carried out 168 suicide attacks causing heavy damage on economic and military targets.<ref name=JIGR/>

Many of these attacks have involved military objectives in the north and east of the country, although civilians have been targeted on numerous occasions, including during a high profile attack on Colombo's International Airport in 2001 that caused damage to several commercial airliners and military jets, and killed 16 people.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rediff.com/news/2001/jul/24ltte.htm |title=LTTE Attacks Colombo Airport, Airbase |last=Venkataramanan |first=K |publisher=Rediff.com India |agency=[[Press Trust of India]] |date=24 July 2001 |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref> The LTTE was also responsible for a 1998 attack on the Buddhist shrine, and [[UNESCO world heritage site]], Sri Dalada Maligawa in [[Kandy]] that killed 8 worshipers. The attack was symbolic in that the shrine, which houses a sacred tooth of the [[Buddha]], is the holiest Buddhist shrine in Sri Lanka.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.spur.asn.au/dalada.htm |title=LTTE's bomb Attack - Sri Dalada Maligawa in Sri Lanka |publisher=Society for Peace, Unity and human Rights in Sri Lanka |date=January 1998 |accessdate=2009-02-10}}</ref> Other Buddhist shrines have been attacked, notably the Sambuddhaloka Temple in Colombo that killed 9 worshipers.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.spur.asn.au/LTTE_Suicide_Bomb_20080516_Colombo.htm |title=LTTE Tamil Tiger suicide bomb attack near Sambuddhaloka temple in Colombo, Sri Lanka targeting civilians |date=16 May 2008 |publisher=Society for Peace, Unity and Human Rights in Sri Lanka |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref>

Relatively speaking, there have been fewer operations in the south where most of the Sinhalese live, including the capital Colombo, although such attacks have often engaged high-profile targets and attracted much international publicity as a result.<ref name=Gambetta2005>{{cite book |author=Gambetta, D. |date=26 May 2005 |title=Making sense of suicide missions |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |location=New York |isbn=978-0-19-927699-8 |pages=60–70
}}</ref>

The LTTE's Black Tigers has been attributed with the assassination of [[Rajiv Gandhi]], who was killed in 1991 using a prototype [[Explosive belt|suicide vest]], and [[Ranasinghe Premadasa]], assassinated in 1993.<ref name=JIGR/>

===Ethnic cleansing===
{{Cleanup-section|date=February 2009}}
{{Main|Expulsion of Muslims from the Northern province by LTTE}}
The LTTE is responsible for forcibly removing, or "ethnically cleansing",<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/526407.stm |date=2 May 2000 |agency=BBC News |title=Tamil Tigers: A fearsome force |publisher=BBC News |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.hindu.com/2007/04/13/stories/2007041304441600.htm |title=Ethnic cleansing: Colombo |last=Reddy |first=B. Muralidhar |date=13 April 2007 |publisher=The Hindu |work=The Hindu |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref> Sinhalese and Muslim inhabitants from areas under its control, and using violence against those who refuse to leave. The evictions happened in the north in 1990, and the east in 1992. Tamil sources openly state:

<blockquote>Islam, however, is not being practiced presently [In Tamil Eelam], as the Muslims have been asked to leave the Tamil Eelam territory until the independence of Tamil Eelam. The Muslims supported the aggressive Sri Lankan Sinhala and Muslim Military against the freedom of Tamil Eelam.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tamilcanadian.com/page.php?cat=181&id=894 |title=Is there religious freedom in Tamil Eelam? |publisher=TamilCanadian |accessdate=2009-02-13}}</ref></blockquote>

Ironically, however, Muslim and Tamil communities in the North of Sri Lanka had participated together in the early days of the Tamil movement, and Muslim ironmongers in Mannar fashioned weapons for the LTTE, and local Tamil leaders were disturbed at the LTTE’s call for the eviction of Muslims.<ref name="uthr.org">{{cite web |url=http://www.uthr.org/Reports/Report6/chapter3.htm#_Toc515969885 |title=The Expulsion And Expropriation Of Muslims In The North |publisher=University Teachers for Human Rights (Jaffna), Sri Lanka |year=2001 |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref> However, as Tamil intellectuals began viewing Muslims as outsiders, rather than a part of the Tamil nation as they had been referred to previously, the LTTE undertook its anti-Muslim campaigns.

In its 1976 Vaddukodai Resolution, LTTE condemns the Sri Lankan government for, as it claimed, "unleashing successive bouts of communal violence on both the
Tamils and Muslims."<ref>{{citation
|last=Pararajasingham
|first=Ana
|author-link=
|title=The Conflict in Sri Lanka: Ground Realities
|publisher=International Federation of Tamils (IFT)
|page=25
|date=December 2005
|url=http://www.tamilnation.org/tamileelam/ift/0512groundrealities.pdf
|format=PDF
|isbn=0-9775092-0-6
|accessdate=2009-02-09}}.
</ref> In 2005, the "International Federation of Tamils" claimed that the Sri Lankan military purposefully stoked tensions between Tamils and Muslims, in an attempt to undermine Tamil security.<ref name=tamilnation16>{{citation
|last=Pararajasingham
|first=Ana
|author-link=
|title=The Conflict in Sri Lanka: Ground Realities
|publisher=International Federation of Tamils (IFT)
|page=16
|date=December 2005
|url=http://www.tamilnation.org/tamileelam/ift/0512groundrealities.pdf
|format=PDF
|isbn=0-9775092-0-6
|accessdate=2009-02-09}}.
</ref> As Tamils turned to the LTTE for support, the Muslims were left with the Sri Lankan state as their sole defender, and so in the eyes of the LTTE, the Muslims had legitimized the role of the state, and were thus viewed as Sri Lankans.<ref name=tamilnation16/>

Beginning in 1985, the LTTE forcibly occupied 35,000 acres of Muslim-owned farmland in the north of Sri Lanka, before systematically evicting the Muslims from areas under LTTE control.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/080817/International/sundaytimesinternational_02.html |title=Seeking peaceful solutions to Muslims’ grievances in East |last=Farook |first=Latheef |date=17 August 2008 |publisher=Wijeya Newspapers Ltd. Colombo, Sri Lanka |work=The Sunday Times|quote=After 1985, the LTTE forcibly occupied more than 35,000 acres of Muslim residential, agricultural and cattle farming land |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref>

Although anti-Muslim pogroms had occurred in the north and east of Sri Lanka since 1985, the LTTE embarked on a campaign to expel Muslims from the North in 1989. The first eviction notice was sent to the Muslims of Chavakacheri on October 15, 1989, after the LTTE entered the local mosque and threatened Muslims a few weeks earlier.<ref name="uthr.org"/> Afterward, the houses of evicted Muslims were ransacked and looted.<ref name="uthr.org"/> On October 28, 1989, the Muslims of Mannar, in the North of Sri Lanka, were told,

<blockquote>"All Muslims living in Mannar island should leave by 28 October. Before leaving, they must seek permission and clearance at the LTTE Office. The LTTE will decide their exit route."<ref name="uthr.org"/></blockquote>

The deadline was extended by four days after pleas from local Tamil Catholics, who were left to look after many Muslims' property in anticipation of looting by the Sri Lankan army – although the Catholics themselves were later robbed by the LTTE of both their own, and the Muslims’ property.<ref name="uthr.org"/> On the 28th, while Muslims were preparing to leave, the LTTE barred Hindus from entering Muslim villages and dealing with them. The areas were reopened on the November 3, after Muslims had been packed onto the boats of Muslim fishermen and sent southwards along the coast.<ref name="uthr.org"/>

After a lull in ethnic cleansing, the LTTE on August 3, 1990, sealed off a [[Shiite]] mosque in Kattankady, the Meera Jumma and [[Husseinia]], and opened fire through the mosque's windows, leaving 147 Muslim worshipers dead, out of 300 gathered for Friday prayers.<ref name="spur.asn.au">{{cite web |url=http://www.spur.asn.au/kattankudi_muslim_mosque_massare_by_ltte_1.htm |title=18th Anniversary of LTTE's Kattankudi Muslim Mosque Massacre (3 August 1990) |publisher=Society for Peace, Unity and Human Rights in Sri Lanka |date=3 August 2008 |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref> Fifteen days later, LTTE gunmen shot dead between 122 and 173 Muslim civilians in the town of Eravur<ref name="spur.asn.au"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.island.lk/2002/07/21/editoria.html |title=Editorial: Rushing in where monitors fear to tread... |date=21 July 2002 |publisher=Upali Newspapers Limited |work=The Island Online |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref>

Ethnic cleansing culminated on October 30, 1990 when the LTTE forcibly expelled the entire Muslim population of [[Jaffna]]. LTTE commanders from the east announced at 7:30 A.M. that all Muslims in Jaffna were to report to Osmania stadium, where they were to be addressed by two LTTE leaders, Karikalana and Anjaneyar.<ref name="uthr.org"/> After listening to the leaders denigrate Muslims for allegedly attacking Tamils in the east, the leaders explained to the community that they had two hours to evacuate the city.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uthayam.net/articles/oct30_2005html_2.htm |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/5QjPvyYV7 |archivedate=2007-07-30 |title=Fifteenth Anniversary of Muslim Expulsion From Jaffna |last=Jeyaraj |first=D.B.S. |publisher=Kirushna |date=30 October 2005 |accessdate=2009-02-13}}</ref> The community was released from the stadium at 10 A.M., and by noon, and were only allowed to carry 500 rupees, while the rest of their possessions were seized by the LTTE after they were forced to report to LTTE checkpoints upon exiting Jaffna.<ref name="uthr.org"/>

In total, over 12,700 Muslim families, roughly 75,000 people, were forcibly evicted from LTTE-controlled areas on the [[Northern Province, Sri Lanka|Northern Province]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/080817/International/sundaytimesinternational_02.html |title=Seeking peaceful solutions to Muslims’ grievances in East |last=Farook |first=Latheef |date=17 August 2008 |publisher=Wijeya Newspapers Ltd. Colombo, Sri Lanka |work=The Sunday Times |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref>

In 1992, the LTTE embarked on a campaign to create a contiguous Tamil Hindu-Christian homeland that stretched from the North of Sri Lanka, and downwards along the Eastern Coast. A large Tamil-speaking Muslim population inhabited a narrow strip of land between the two entities, and so a pattern of "ethnic cleansing" emerged in Eastern Sri Lanka, as was already done in the North. "The LTTE unleashed violence against the Muslims of Alinchipothanai and killed 69 Muslim villagers. This led to a retaliatory violence against the Tamils in Muthugala, where 49 Tamils were killed allegedly by the Muslim Home guards."<ref name="srilankaguardian.org">{{cite news |url=http://www.srilankaguardian.org/2008/08/1990-war-year-if-ethnic-cleansing-of.html |title=1990, The War Year if Ethnic Cleansing Of The Muslims From North and the East of Sri Lanka |last=Bazeer |first=S.M.M. |publisher=Sri Lanka Guardian |date=25 August 2008 |accessdate=2009-02-13}}</ref> Later in the year, the LTTE attacked four Muslim villages (Palliyagodalla, Akbarpuram, Ahmedpuram and Pangurana) and killed 187 Muslims.<ref name="srilankaguardian.org"/> The ''Australian Muslim Times'' later commented on 30 October 1992: “The massacres, eviction and the atrocities by the Tamil Tigers are carried out in order to derive the Muslim Community from their traditional land in the Eastern province as they have done it in the northern province and then set up a separate state only for Tamils”.<ref name="srilankaguardian.org"/>

In 2002, the LTTE leader [[Vellupillai Prabhakaran]] had formally apologized for the expulsion of Muslims from the north and asked the Muslims to return. Some families have returned and re-opened the Osmaniya College and two mosques are functioning now.{{Citation needed|date=January 2009}} Since the apology, [[TamilNet]], which is widely seen as an LTTE mouthpiece, has featured numerous stories of Muslim civilians coming under attack from Sinhalese forces. However, the stories may simply reflect crime, and not the ethnic hatred that TamilNet suggest.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=27877 |title=Sinhala thugs attack Muslim shops in Gampaha |date=1 January 2009 |publisher=TamilNet |quote=Sinhalese hoodlums attacked Muslim shops in Poogoda in Gampaha district in the western province |accessdate=2009-02-09}}.</ref>

The LTTE is also accused of organizing massacres of Sinhala villagers who settled in the Northeast under the dry lands policy.<ref name="guardian1">{{cite news | title=Sri Lanka chronology |date=2003-11-14 | url =http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,681879,00.html | work =The Guardian | accessdate = 2007-05-16 }}</ref><ref name="unhcr1">[http://www.unhchr.ch/Huridocda/Huridoca.nsf/0/6bdc202089eb97848025671a00590c8c?OpenDocument United Nations High Commission for Human Rights].</ref><ref name="uthr1">{{cite news | title=Information Bulletin No.4 |date=1995-02-13 | url =http://www.uthr.org/bulletins/bul4.htm | work =UTHR(J) | accessdate = 2007-05-16 }}</ref>

====Anti-Muslim campaigns of 1990====
During the summer of 1990, the LTTE killed over 370 Muslims in the North and East of Sri Lanka in 11 mass killings<ref name="srilankaguardian.org"/> Numerous mosques were attacked, and dozens of [[pilgrim]]s from the annual [[Hajj]] pilgrimage in [[Saudi Arabia]] were killed. The number of Muslims killed in individual attacks, rather than massacres and high-profile murders, remains unknown.

==Proscription as a terrorist group==
32 countries have [[List of designated terrorist organizations|listed]] the LTTE as a terrorist organization.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cfr.org/publication/9242 | title=Council on Foreign Relations | author = | date= | publisher = }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tkb.org/Group.jsp?groupID=3623| title= MIPT Terrorism Knowledge Base | author = | date= | publisher = }}</ref> As of January 2009, these include:
* [[India]] (since 1992)<ref>{{cite news | title= Indian Court upholds LTTE ban | date=2008-11-11 | publisher=BBC News | url =http://www.bbc.co.uk/sinhala/news/story/2008/11/081111_india_ltte.shtml | accessdate = 2009-02-11}}</ref>
* [[United States]] (designated as [[Foreign Terrorist Organizations]] by the [[United States Department of State|Department of State]] since October 8, 1997. Named as a [[Specially Designated Global Terrorist]] (SDGT) since November 2, 2001)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.state.gov/s/ct/rls/fs/37191.htm | title=Foreign Terrorist Organizations |publisher=U.S. Government, Office of Counterterrorism |date=October 11, 2005 |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title=Treasury Targets U.S. Front for Sri Lankan Terrorist Organization | date=2009-02-11 | publisher=US Department of the Treasury | url =http://www.ustreas.gov/press/releases/tg22.htm | accessdate = 2009-02-11}}</ref>
* [[United Kingdom]] (designated as Proscribed Terrorist Group under the [[Terrorism Act 2000]] by the [[Home Secretary]] since 2000)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/security/terrorism-and-the-law/terrorism-act/proscribed-groups |title=Proscribed terrorist groups |date= | publisher=UK Government, Home Office |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref>
* [[European Union]] (since 2006; 27 countries)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2009:023:0037:01:EN:HTML |title=Council Common Position 2009/67/CFSP |publisher=Council of the European Union |date=26 January 2009 |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref>
* [[Canada]] (since 2006)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.psepc.gc.ca/prg/ns/le/cle-en.asp#ltte |title=Currently listed entities: LTTE |date=28 November 2008 (updated) |publisher=Canadian Government |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref> Canada does not grant residency to LTTE members on the grounds that they have participated in [[Crime against humanity|crimes against humanity]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://reports.fja.gc.ca/eng/1993/1994fca0318.html/1994fca0318.html.html |title=Thalayasingam Sivakumar (Appellant) v Minister of Employment and Immigration (Respondent) |author= |date=4 November 1993 |publisher=Canadian Government |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref>
* [[Sri Lanka]] (from January 1998 to September 4, 2002,<ref>{{cite news | title= Peace talks team for Thailand finalised: Government lifts LTTE proscription | date=2002-09-05 | publisher=Daily News | url =http://www.dailynews.lk/2002/09/05/new001.html | accessdate = 2009-02-11}}</ref> and again from January 7, 2009)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20090107_15 |title=LTTE is banned by the SL Govt: with immediate effect |author=Government Information Department |date=7 January 2009 |publisher=Ministry of Defence, Sri Lanka |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref>
* [[Australia]] (since 2001)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dfat.gov.au/icat/persons_entities/2_proscribed_entities_10dec2001.html |title=Charter of the United Nations (Anti-terrorism — Persons and Entities) List 2001 (No. 2) |author=Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade |date=10 December 2001 |publisher=Australian Government |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref> and other countries have listed the LTTE as a terrorist group in accordance with Resolution 1373.

The first country to ban the LTTE was its early ally, India. The Indian change of policy came gradually, starting with the IPKF-LTTE conflict, and culminating with the assassination of [[Rajiv Gandhi]]. India opposes the new state Tamil Eelam that LTTE wants to establish, saying that it would lead to [[Tamil Nadu]]'s separation from India though the leaders of Tamil Nadu are opposing it. Sri Lanka itself lifted the ban on the LTTE before signing the ceasefire agreement in 2002. This was a prerequisite set by the LTTE for the signing of the agreement.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/country_profiles/1166237.stm |title=Timeline: Sri Lanka |date=6 January 2009 (updated) | publisher=BBC News |agency=[[BBC News]] |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.peaceinsrilanka.org/insidepages/Archive/September/banlifted.asp |title=LTTE ban lifted |date=2002-09-05 | publisher=SCOPP |agency=[[BBC News]] |accessdate=2009-02-11}}</ref>

According to the US [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]], "LTTE has perfected the use of suicide bombers, invented the suicide belt, pioneered the use of women in suicide attacks, murdered some 4,000 people in the past two years alone, and assassinated two world leaders—the only terrorist organization to do so.<ref>[http://www.fbi.gov/page2/jan08/tamil_tigers011008.html TAMING THE TAMIL TIGERS], [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]], 2008-01-10</ref>"

The European Union banned LTTE as a terrorist organization on May 17, 2006. In a statement, the [[European Parliament]] said that the LTTE did not represent all the Tamils and called on it to "allow for political pluralism and alternate democratic voices in the northern and eastern parts of Sri Lanka".<ref name="hindu1">{{cite news |url=http://www.hindu.com/2006/05/31/stories/2006053117200100.htm |title=European Union bans LTTE |last=Baruah |first=Amit |publisher=The Hindu |date=31 May 2006 |accessdate=2009-02-09}}</ref>

==Criminal activities==
One factor that has greatly benefited the LTTE has been its sophisticated international support network. While some of the funding obtained by the LTTE is from legitimate fund raising and extortion among Tamil diaspora,<ref name="gt1">{{cite news |url=http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=85944&version=1&template_id=57&parent_id=56 | title=Lankan expats ‘forced to fund LTTE’ |last=Wadhwaney |first=Rohit William |publisher=Gulf Publishing &amp; Printing |work=Gulf Times |date=11 May 2006 |accessdate=2009-02-13}}</ref><ref>{{cite paper |last=Becker |first=Jo |url=http://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/reports/ltte0306webwcover.pdf |title=Funding the “Final War” LTTE Intimidation and Extortion in the Tamil Diaspora |format=PDF |pages=1–5 |date=14 March 2006 |publisher=[[Human Rights Watch]] |accessdate=2009-02-13}}</ref> a significant portion is obtained through criminal activities, involving [[sea piracy]], [[human smuggling]], [[drug trafficking]] and [[gunrunning]].<ref name="rand">{{citation
|last=Rabasa
|first=Angel
|coauthors=Chalk, Peter; Cragin, Kim; Daly, Sara A.; Gregg, Heather S.; Karasik, Theodore W.; O’Brien, Kevin A.; Rosenau, William
|title=Beyond al-Qaeda: The Outer Rings of the Terrorist Universe
|year=2006
|pages=101–108
|publisher=RAND Corporation
|format=PDF
|url=http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/2006/RAND_MG430.pdf
|doi=
|id=
|isbn=978-0-8330-3932-3
|accessdate=2009-02-10
}}.</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/2752455.stm |title=US criticises Tamil Tiger smuggling |date=12 February 2003 |publisher=BBC News |agency=[[BBC News]] |accessdate=2009-02-10}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Sri Lankan pleads guilty in Tamil Tigers arms plot |date=11 May 2007 |publisher=MediaCorp |work=Channel NewsAsia |url=http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/275514/1/.html |accessdate=2009-02-10}}</ref><ref name='nydn-tgb-10/16/07'>{{cite news |first=Barbara |last=Ross |title=Sri Lankan terror gang busted in ATM heist plot |date=16 October 2007 |publisher=Daily News |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime_file/2007/10/16/2007-10-16_sri_lankan_terror_gang_busted_in_atm_hei-2.html |work=The New York Daily News |accessdate=2009-02-10}}</ref>

===Sea piracy===
<!-- {{Main|Sea Tigers Human_Rights_Abuses}} -->

The LTTE has been accused of hijacking several vessels in waters outside Sri Lanka, including the ''Irish Mona'' (in August 1995), ''Princess Wave'' (in August 1996), ''Athena'' (in May 1997), ''Misen'' (in July 1997), ''Morong Bong'' (in July 1997), MV ''Cordiality'' (in September 1997), ''Princess Kash'' (in August 1998) and ''MV Farah III'' (December 2006). The MV ''Sik Yang'', a 2,818-ton [[Malaysia]]n-flag [[cargo ship]] which sailed from [[Tuticorin]], India on May 25, 1999 was reported missing in waters near Sri Lanka. The ship with a cargo of bagged [[salt]] was due at the Malaysian port of [[Malacca]] on May 31. The fate of the ship's crew of 15 is unknown. It is suspected that the vessel was hijacked by the LTTE and is now being used as a [[Phantom vehicle|phantom vessel]].
Likewise the crew of a [[Jordan]]ian ship, ''MV Farah III'', that ran aground near LTTE-controlled territory off the island's coast, accused the Tamil Tigers of risking their lives and forcing them to abandon the vessel which was carrying 14,000 tonnes of Indian rice.<ref name="hnd1">{{cite news |url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001200612261552.htm |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20070103190254/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001200612261552.htm |archivedate=2007-01-03 |title=Jordanian crew slam Tigers for piracy| publisher=The Hindu |date=26 December 2006 |accessdate=2009-02-13}}</ref>

===Arms smuggling===
{{One source|section|date=June 2009}}
The anti-rebel [[Mackenzie Institute]] claimed that one of LTTE's secretive international operations is the smuggling of weapons, explosives, and "dual use" technologies. The part of the LTTE responsible for these activities is nicknamed ''"KP Branch"'', taking the initials of its high level operative, [[Kumaran Pathmanadan|Kumaran Padmanathan]]. The workers for the ''KP Branch'' are from outside the fighting wing of the LTTE, since the identities of those fighters are recorded and available to law enforcement and [[counter-intelligence]] agencies by India's [[Research and Analysis Wing]], who had helped train many Tiger cadres in the early 1980s. The KP Branch operates secretively by having the minimum connection possible with the LTTE's other sections for further security. It hands over the arms shipments to a team of Sea Tigers to deliver them to the LTTE-dominated areas.<ref name="mackenzie1">[http://www.mackenzieinstitute.com/2003/other_peoples_wars7.htm Other people's wars: A Review of Overseas Terrorism in Canada], John Thompson, The Mackenzie Institute.</ref>

The [[Mackenzie Institute]] further claimed that in order to carry out the activities of international arms trafficking, the LTTE operates its own fleet of ocean-going vessels. These vessels only operate a certain period of time for the LTTE and in the remaining time they transport legitimate goods and raise hard cash for the purchase of weapons. The LTTE initially operated a shipping base in [[Myanmar]], but was forced to leave due to diplomatic pressure. To overcome this loss, a new base has been set up on [[Phuket Island]], in [[Thailand]].<ref name="mackenzie1"/>

Furthermore, The [[Mackenzie Institute]] claimed that the most expertly executed operation of the ''KP Branch'' was the theft of 32,400 rounds of 81&nbsp;mm [[Mortar (weapon)|mortar]] ammunition purchased from [[Tanzania]] destined for the Sri Lanka Army. Being aware of the purchase of 35,000 mortar bombs, the LTTE made a bid to the manufacturer through a numbered company and arranged a vessel of their own to pick up the load. Once the bombs were loaded into the ship, the LTTE changed the name and registration of their ship. The vessel was taken to Tiger-held territory in Sri Lanka's north instead of transporting it to its intended destination.<ref name="mackenzie1"/>

Western countries are the main territory for fund raising activities of the LTTE. The money raised from donations and enterprises are transferred into bank accounts of the Tigers and from there to the accounts of a weapons broker, or the money is taken by KP operatives themselves. LTTE's need for resources is mostly fulfilled by the Tamils who reside outside Sri Lanka. In 1995, when the LTTE lost Jaffna, its international operatives were ordered to increase, by 50%, the amount raised from Tamils outside the island.<ref name="mackenzie1"/>

==See also==
* [[Notable assassinations of the Sri Lankan Civil War]]
* [[Black July]]
* [[Sri Lankan Tamil militant groups]]
* [[Military use of children in Sri Lanka]]
* [[List of attacks attributed to the LTTE]]
* [[2009 World Tamil protests]]

==References==
{{reflist|3}}

==Further reading==
<div class="references-small">
* Balasingham, Adele. (2003). ''The Will to Freedom - An Inside View of Tamil Resistance''. Fairmax Publishing Ltd. 2nd ed. ISBN 1-903679-03-6.
* Balasingham, Anton. (2004). ''War and Peace - Armed Struggle and Peace Efforts of Liberation Tigers''. Fairmax Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-903679-05-2.
* de Votta, Neil. (2004) ''Blowback: Linguistic Nationalism, Institutional Decay, and Ethnic Conflict in Sri Lanka.'' [[Stanford University Press]]. ISBN 0-8047-4924-8.
* Gamage, Siri and I.B. Watson (Editors). (1999). ''Conflict and Community in Contemporary Sri Lanka - 'Pearl of the East' or 'Island of Tears'?''. [[SAGE Publications|Sage Publications]] Ltd. ISBN 0-7619-9393-2.
* Hansard Australia. (2006). Commonwealth of Australia Parliamentary Debates. ''[http://www.aph.gov.au/hansard/senate/dailys/ds160606.pdf Senate Transcript for 16 June 2006]''.
* Hellmann-Rajanayagam, D. (1994). ''The Groups and the rise of Militant Secessions'', in Manogaram, C. and Pfaffenberger, B. (editors). ''The Sri Lankan Tamils''. [[Oxford University Press]]. ISBN 0-8133-8845-7.
* {{cite web |url=http://hrw.org/reports/2004/childsoldiers0104/index.htm |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20070516141422/http://www.hrw.org/reports/2004/childsoldiers0104/16.htm |archivedate=2007-05-16 |title=Child Soldier Use 2003: A Briefing for the 4th UN Security Council Open Debate on Children and Armed Conflict |publisher=[[Human Rights Watch]] |date=January 2003 |accessdate=2009-02-13}}
* La, J. 2004. ''Forced remittances in Canada's Tamil enclaves'', ''Peace Review'' 16:3. September 2004. pp.&nbsp;379–385.
* Narayan Swamy, M. R. (2002). ''Tigers of Lanka: from Boys to Guerrillas''. Konark Publishers; 3rd ed. ISBN 81-220-0631-0.
* Pratap, Anita. (2001). ''Island of Blood: Frontline Reports From Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Other South Asian Flashpoints''. [[Penguin Books]]. ISBN 978-0-14-302906-9.
</div>

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
Tamil sites
* [http://www.eelamweb.com/ltte/ Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam]
* [http://www.tamilnet.com Tamilnet]
* [http://www.tamileelamnews.com Tamil Eelam News]
Sri Lanka Government sites
* [http://www.defence.lk/orbat/Default.asp Sri Lanka Ministry of Defence Map showing extent of area controlled]
* [http://www.defence.lk/pps/LTTEinbrief.pdf Sri Lanka Ministry of Defence LTTE in Brief]
International Organizations
* [http://www.fbi.gov/page2/jan08/tamil_tigers011008.html TAMING THE TAMIL TIGERS]
* [http://www.fas.org/irp/world/para/docs/com77e.htm LIBERATION TIGERS OF TAMIL EELAM’S (LTTE) INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION AND OPERATIONS - A PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS]
* [http://www.cfr.org/publication/9242/ Council on Foreign Relations background information on the Tigers]
* [http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?id=4459&l=1 International Crisis Group, an advocacy group, has information on the conflict. ]
* [http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?t=150716 Tamil Tigers U-Boat force]
International Press
* [http://www.asianewsnet.net/news.php?id=5283&sec=1 Mexico Refuses to give Legitimacy to the LTTE] by Dushy Ranetunge, ''Asia News Network'', April 19, 2009
* [http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/0503/p06s04-wosc.html Sri Lankan Civilians Trapped by Tamil Tigers 'Last Stand'] By Simon Montlake, ''The Christian Science Monitor'', May 3, 2009
* [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article6315015.ece Guerrilla Tactics - How the Tamil Tigers Were Beaten in an 'Unwinnable' War] by Jeremy Page, ''The Times'', May 19, 2009

{{DEFAULTSORT:Liberation Tigers Of Tamil Eelam}}
[[Category:Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam| ]]
[[Category:European Union designated terrorist organizations]]
[[Category:U.S. State Department designated terrorist organizations]]
[[Category:Organizations designated as terrorist in Asia]]

[[ar:نمور التاميل]]
[[zh-min-nan:Tamil Eelam Kái-hòng Lāu-hó͘]]
[[be:Тыгры вызвалення Таміл-Ілама]]
[[bs:Tamilski tigrovi]]
[[bg:Тигри за освобождение на Тамил Еелам]]
[[ca:Tigres d'Alliberament de Tamil Eelam]]
[[cs:Tygři osvobození tamilského Ílamu]]
[[cy:Teigrod Rhyddhau Tamil Eelam]]
[[da:De Tamilske Tigre]]
[[de:Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam]]
[[et:Tamili Eelami Vabastustiigrid]]
[[es:Tigres de Liberación del Eelam Tamil]]
[[fa:ببرهای آزادی‌خواه تامیل ایلم]]
[[hif:Tamil Sher]]
[[fr:Tigres de libération de l'Îlam tamoul]]
[[gl:Tigres de Liberación do Tamil Eelam]]
[[ko:타밀일람 해방 호랑이]]
[[hi:तमिल इलाम मुक्ति शेर]]
[[id:Macan Tamil]]
[[it:Tigri Tamil]]
[[he:נמרי השחרור של טאמיל אילם]]
[[jv:Macan Tamil]]
[[kn:ಎಲ್.ಟಿ.ಟಿ.ಇ.]]
[[ka:თამილის ვეფხვები]]
[[ku:Pilingên Tamîl]]
[[ml:തമിഴീഴ വിടുതലൈപ്പുലികള്‍]]
[[ms:Harimau Pembebasan Tamil Eelam]]
[[nl:Tamiltijgers]]
[[ja:タミル・イーラム解放のトラ]]
[[no:Tamiltigrene]]
[[nn:Dei tamilske tigrane]]
[[pl:Tamilskie Tygrysy]]
[[pt:Tigres de Liberação do Tamil Eelam]]
[[ru:Тигры освобождения Тамил-Илама]]
[[simple:Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam]]
[[sk:Tigre oslobodenia tamilského Ílamu]]
[[sl:Osvobodilni tigri Tamilskega Eelama]]
[[so:Shabeelada Tamil]]
[[sr:Тамилски тигрови]]
[[sh:Oslobodilački tigrovi Tamilskog Elama]]
[[su:Macan Tamil]]
[[fi:Tamilitiikerit]]
[[sv:Tamilska befrielsetigrarna]]
[[ta:தமிழீழ விடுதலைப் புலிகள்]]
[[th:กองทัพพยัคฆ์ปลดปล่อยทมิฬอีแลม]]
[[tr:Tamil Eelam Kurtuluş Kaplanları]]
[[uk:Тигри визволення Таміл-Ілама]]
[[vi:Những con Hổ giải phóng Tamil]]
[[wuu:泰米尔猛虎解放组织]]
[[zh:泰米尔伊拉姆猛虎解放组织]]

Revision as of 23:39, 16 December 2009

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