By Kesara Abeywardena
Australia yesterday named the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) as a terrorist organisation whose assets will be frozen along with 24 other international terrorist organisations, in the Australian Government Gazette.

Naming the list of terrorist organisations Australian Department of Foreign Affairs said: "Our listing of these names implements Australia’s obligation under United Nations Security Council Resolution 1373 of September 28, 2001 to suppress the financing of terrorism."

Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs Alexander Downer stated that this action showed the commitment of Australia in playing its part to ensure it does not become a financial haven for terrorists. The regulations imposed by the Australian government in October this year prevent Australian citizens or people in Australia from dealing with financial and other assets of people or entities that engage in or support terrorism. Although the Australian government implemented the new Anti Terrorism Regulations in October the list of banned organisations were named yesterday.

Australia issued two lists, one containing the names of individuals and groups that have been linked to Osama bin Laden’s Al Qaida and the Taliban. The second list contains the names of internationally recognised foreign terrorist organisations including the LTTE.

The LTTE has been grouped with such organisations as the Hamas, Hizbullah, Real IRA, Basque Fatherland and Liberty and Abu Nidal.

The Australian Federal Police is to go ahead with a security operation named "Operation DRAVA" soon, that is aimed at targeting terrorist financiers. The Australian public have been requested to inform the Federal Police of any suspected agents raising funds to finance terrorism.

The Anti Terrorism Regulations in Australia were implemented soon after the September 11 terrorist attack on the United States and the subsequent adaptation of UN Security Council Resolution 1373 on September 28 which calls on all states to prevent and suppress the financing of terrorist acts.

Following the September 11 terrorist attack on the US many countries have come forward to ban internationally recognised terrorist organisations. Canada also included the LTTE in the banned organisations list recently.

However, the Sri Lankan government was non committal on the Australian ban of the LTTE. The LTTE recently declared a unilateral cease-fire. However, Foreign Minister Tyronne Fernando said that the government would respond after Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe meets his Indian counterpart in his first foreign trip to India after assuming office. It had been indicated during the election campaign that the government would consider lifting the ban on the LTTE only if anything substantial is arrived at the initial talks.