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British MPs criticised

LONDON: Sri Lanka’s Cabinet Minister Keheliya Rambukwella on Tuesday criticised British MPs who support the Tamils’ campaign against the Sri Lankan government, saying they were probably prompted by electoral considerations, given the large number of Tamil voters across the U.K.

Without directly accusing anyone, Mr. Rambukwella alleged that many western politicians could also be on LTTE’s “payroll.” The LTTE, he said, had been able to “market” the civil war as an issue of human rights.

“One reason for the support of terrorism of the LTTE is the large number of Tamil voters available in certain Western world electorates that arouse political aspirations for politicians. The other reason is some Western world politicians are corrupt and are on the payroll of the LTTE,” he alleged.

He said the LTTE was losing the war and its sources of foreign funding and arms supply were “drying up.” In recent months, the Sri Lankan High Commission here has protested to the government over the activities of what it claims are “front organisations” of the LTTE. The LTTE is banned in the U.K., but many Tamil groups are reportedly engaged in raising funds, which, the High Commission alleged, are channelled to the LTTE. He said the Al-Qaeda learnt bomb-making from the LTTE.

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