Commemoration of Tamil 'martyrs' linked with support for Tigers

By Jerome Taylor

Thousands of British Tamils will descend upon a major festival in London today despite accusations that it is a fundraising initiative for the Tamil Tigers, a banned terrorist group.

Opponents of the event say it provides money for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and has celebrated suicide missions carried out by the group's feared Black Tiger regiment. They believe the festival is illegal under Britain's anti-terrorism laws which prohibit fundraising for proscribed organisations, such as the Tigers, or glorifying their actions.

Tamil Tiger rebels are retreating from Kilinochchi, their political headquarters in northern Sri Lanka, a senior official has said.

Keheliya Rambukwella, a defence spokesman, said on Wednesday that government troops were on "the outskirts" of Kilinochchi after days of fierce fighting.

He said the rebels "appeared to have abandoned their defences".

The battle for Kilinochchi started in early September. 

Fighting has intensified in the past two weeks since the army seized the entire western coast from the rebels for the first time since 1993.

"They are in retreat, they are moving out," said Rambukwella, who is also a government minister. "Their presence is not felt."

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has condemned the Mumbai terrorist attacks in which gunmen struck 10 sites Wednesday night across India's financial hub, killing scores of people and taking hostages in two luxury hotels. President Rajapaksa’s statement condemning the attack is given below in full:

MUMBAI, India – A trickle of bodies and hostages emerged from a luxury hotel Thursday as Indian commandoes tried to free people trapped by suspected Muslim militants who attacked at least 10 targets in India's financial capital of Mumbai, killing 101 people. 

More than 300 were also wounded in the highly coordinated attacks Wednesday night by bands of gunmen who invaded two five star hotels, a popular restaurant, a crowded train station, a Jewish center and at least five other sites, armed with assault rifles, hand grenades and explosives.

 A previously unknown Islamic militant group claimed responsibility for the carnage, the latest in a series of nationwide terror attacks over the past three years that have dented India's image as an industrious nation galloping toward prosperity.