DIFFERENT ANGLE by Kenneth Rijock
If you have been watching the news from South Asia, you know that the Government of Sri Lanka has responded to the two latest fatal terrorist acts in Colombo by stating that the ceasefire existing since 2002 between it and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), also known as the Tamil Tigers, has been annulled, due to the failure of the terrorist organisation to respect its terms. The agreement has a fourteen-day advance notice requirement, but the Norwegian and Icelandic peace-keepers who monitor compliance with the agreement have indicated that they have not as yet received such a document. This, and other developments this week in the region, is certain to cause the LTTE to look for additional funding, as the armed conflict may enter a more intense phase. Compliance officers should be aware that this means Tamil Tiger agents in the Tamil diaspora will certainly be looking for new sources of income, as well as increased arms purchases.
- Indian security and intelligence services are now concerned that the Tamils may conduct attacks inside India. For that reason, it has been reported that there will be joint military maneuvers between Indian and Sri Lankan forces. Will engagements between Indian and LTTE forces widen the war? We cannot say, but the potential exists.
- Rumours abound that the United States is providing high-resolution satellite imagery to the Sri Lankan military, to aid in the identification of LTTE targets. The US, EU and India all have declared the Tamil Tigers to be a designated global terrorist organisation, and the US has maintined a "zero tolerence" on all Tamil operations seeking the acquisition of weaponry from American sources.
Money laundering reporting officers and compliance officers at financial institutions who either number ethnic Tamils amongst their clientele, or whose clients ship arms to Asian end users are cautioned that LTTE activity will most certainly rise in response to the above. It would be prudent to alert your compliance staff, and take precautions accordingly.
The facts and opinions stated in this article are those of the author and not those of World-Check. World-Check does not warrant the accuracy of any facts and opinions stated in this article, does not endorse them, and accepts no responsibility for them.
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