The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), also known as the Tamil Tigers, is a paramilitary organization that has waged a campaign for a separate Tamil state in northern Sri Lanka since the 1970s. Led by Velupillai Prabhakaran, the LTTE is notorious for introducing suicide bombers, particularly female ones, and has carried out more suicide attacks than other terrorist groups combined. Members of the LTTE directly battle the Sri Lankan military using land, sea, and air forces in uniforms.

1. Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam

2. LTTE: Overview
Founded and led by Velupillai
Prabhakaran, the LTTE is a
paramilitary organization that has
waged a campaign since the 1970’s
with the goal of creating a separate
Tamil state in northern Sri Lanka.
Known as the Tamil Tigers, the
LTTE is notorious for introducing
suicide bombers in general and
female ones in particular. They have
carried out more suicide attacks than
Hamas, al Qaeda and Islamic Jihad
combined.
Members of the LTTE have donned
Velupillai Prabhakaran self-styled President and uniforms to directly battle the Sri
Prime Minister of Tamil Eelam Lankan military - on land, sea and in
the air.

3. Map of Sri
Lanka

4. LTTE Timeline
1948: Sri Lanka, then known as Ceylon, gains independence from British rule. Ethnic
Tamils feel disenfranchised by the so-called "Citizenship Act" which denied citizenship to
the Tamils and their descendents brought from India by the British to work on tea
plantations
1956: Solomon Bandaranyake, then prime minister, enacts a law making Sinhala the
only official language of Sri Lanka, alienating the Tamils. Peaceful protests by Tamils are
broken up by a Sinhala mob and riots follow.
1957/65: Pacts are signed between the government and the Tamils giving them a
measure of regional autonomy and freedoms in language and education, but the
agreements remain largely on paper.
1970: New constitution enshrines earlier law making Sinhala Sri Lanka's official
language and makes Buddhism the country's official religion, further alienating Tamils
who are mainly Hindus and Christians.
1972: Ceylon becomes a Republic and is officially renamed the Republic of Sri Lanka.
Velupillai Prabhakaran forms the Tamil New Tigers group to set up a separate homeland
- the Tamil Eelam.
Source: Al Jazeera
http://english.aljazeera.net/focus/blanktemplate/2008/11/2008111061193133.html

5. LTTE Timeline
1975: Tamil New Tigers re-named Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)
1978: LTTE proscribed as an illegal organisation.
1981: Riots in Jafna. A state of emergency is declared.
1983: First guerrilla-style ambush by LTTE kills 13 soldiers. During “Black July”, Rioting
erupts killing hundreds of people. About 150,000 Tamil refugees flee to India ,where
Tamil military training camps are established.
1987: The Indian government cracks down on armed Tamil groups in India.First suicide
attack by LTTE kills 40. Indo-Sri Lanka Peace Accord signed and India agrees to deploy
peacekeepers - the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF), which quickly gets drawn into
the civil war.
1990: IPKF withdraws from Sri Lanka. LTTE becomes the prominent Tamil armed group.
Over 100,000 Muslims are expelled from LTTE dominated areas, many with just two
hours notice.
Source: Al Jazeera
http://english.aljazeera.net/focus/blanktemplate/2008/11/2008111061193133.html

6. LTTE Timeline
1991: Rajiv Gandhi, then Indian prime minister, is assassinated by a female LTTE
suicide bomber.
1993: Ranasinghe Premadasa, then president of Sri Lanka, is killed in a LTTE suicide
bomb attack.
1999: Chandrika Kumaratunge, a former prime minister and later the first female
president of Sri Lanka, is wounded in an assassination attempt during an election rally.
2002: Norway-brokered ceasefire between the LTTE and the Sri Lankan government
comes into effect. It holds for five years despite many incursions from both sides. A road
linking Jaffna peninsula and the rest of Sri Lanka opens after 12 years.
2004: The LTTE splits. Vinayagamoorthi Muralitharan, also known as Colonel Karuna,
commander for the Batticaloa-Amparai, breaks from the LTTE forming a pro-government
outfit.
Source: Al Jazeera
http://english.aljazeera.net/focus/blanktemplate/2008/11/2008111061193133.html

7. LTTE Timeline
2005: Sri Lankan government and LTTE sign Post-Tsunami Operational Management
Structure (P-Toms) by which the two entities agreed to work together to offer relief to
the communities devastated by the Asian Tsunami. Lakshman Kadirgamar, Sri Lankan
foreign minister, is assassinated by the LTTE.
2007: After weeks of heavy fighting, the Sri Lankan army takes back the LTTE-held
town of Vakarai. LTTE air force attacks various Sri Lankan targets including Colombo
airport. SP Thamilselvan, leader of the LTTE's political wing, is killed in an air raid.
2008: The Sri Lankan government formally withdraws from the ceasefire with the LTTE
and renewed fighting erupts. Amid attacks and counter-attacks, Sri Lankan forces seem
to gradually gain the upper hand.
2009: The government claims its forces have captured the town of Kilinochchi, the
political hub of the Tamil Tigers and the the last rebel-town of Mullaittivu. Remaining
LTTE fighters thought to be trapped in a small area in northeast of the island prompting
military claims that†the†war could end in days.
Source: Al Jazeera
http://english.aljazeera.net/focus/blanktemplate/2008/11/2008111061193133.html

8. Selected Leadership
Velupillai Prabhakaran aka Thambi founded
the “Tamil Tigers” in the 1970’s. Through
Velupillai determination, perserverance and ruthlessness he
Prabhakaran has made the LTTE the foremost group in the
Tamil independence movement - mainly by
eliminating rival organizations.
He is methodical and patient, planning
operations well in advance. Under his
leadership, the LTTE has been involved in
everything from bank robberies to prostitution to
credit card fraud to suicide bombings.
He sees himself as a role model to his followers,
living a very ascetic lifestyle. He expects his
comrades to follow his personal example in
regards to smoking, alcohol, premarital sex and
gambling, among other things. Death is often
the penalty for those who do not.
References: Interpol
http://www.interpol.int/public/Data/Wanted/Notices/Data/1994/54/1994_9054.as
Lanka Web
“We are not politicians, we are freedom http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items07/250407-5.html
fighters.”
Eelam web
http://www.eelamweb.com/leader/quotes/

9. Selected Leadership
Pottu Amman Shanmugalingam Sivashankar aka Pottu
Amman was the long-time head of the
LTTE’s Intel wing and is still heavily
involved with the group’s Black Tiger
suicide squads. The Indian government
has indicted him in conjunction with the
assassination of Prime Minister Rajiv
Gandhi.
He speaks English, Sinhalese and Tamil.
Though born in Sri Lanka, he has received
training in India (Tamil Nadu). He was
once kidnapped by a rival Tamil group
(People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil
Eelam). He was freed via a prisoner
exchange with the captured leader of the
PLOTE.
Source: Interpol
http://www.interpol.int/Public/Data/Wanted/Notices/Data/1994/43/1994_9043.asp Additional reference: Frontline
http://www.flonnet.com/fl1821/18210570.htm

10. Selected Leadership
Colonel Soosai Colonel Soosai is the nom de guerre of
Thillaiyampalam Sivanesan. Colonel
Soosai was in charge of the naval wing of
the LTTE, the Sea Tigers.
Under his leadership, the Sea Tigers have
engaged in numerous acts of piracy and
have been able to mount successful attacks
and sea denial operations against the Sri
Lankan Navy.
He is currently missing and believed by
authorities to have been killed in an air
attack by Sri Lankan forces in early
February of 2009.
Additional reference: Sunday Times (Sri Lanka)
Source: Interpol http://www.sundaytimes.lk/090208/News/sundaytimesnews_05.htm
http://www.interpol.int/public/Data/Wanted/Notices/Data/2006/76/2006_57476.asp

11. Selected Leadership (Opposition)
Colonel Karuna Amman Colonel Karuna whose real name is
Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan is the
president and leader of the TMVP (Tamil
Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal which translates to
Tamil Peoples Liberation Tigers).
A member of the LTTE since 1983, eventually
rising to become the second most important
leader of the organization, he parted ways with
the LTTE in early 2004, taking many followers
with him to form the TVMP.
The two rival groups have since engaged in
violent clashes and battles. Karuna has sought
the Sri Lankan government’s protection against
reprisals from the LTTE and in exchange, he has
transformed his organization into a political
party (which has won seats in local elections)
with a paramilitary wing - that has aided in
driving LTTE forces from parts of eastern Sri
Lanka.
Additional reference: BBC News
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7288942.stm
Source: The Colombo Times &
http://www.thecolombotimes.com/2008_04_01_archive.html http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3537025.stm

12. LTTE: Operational Sub-Units
The LTTE has 3 main sub-divisions: 1) Military. 2) Political and 3) Fund Raising
One of the only insurgent groups to
Military have uniformed personnel capable of
engaging government forces and the
only one with an air force of any
type.
Allows for a soft-power option in
Political their struggle for independence. The
political wing is responsible for state-
building, infrastructure and
negotiations with governments.
Operations are supported via
Fund Raising legitimate fund raising efforts as well
as illicit means. Everything from
document theft/forgery, credit card
fraud, extortion, prostitution,
smuggling and theft.

13. Military: Conventional Forces
The uniformed forces of the LTTE
use a combination of conventional
and unconventional tactics. Recruits
are fanatically devoted to the cause
and are issued cyanide tablets for use
if captured.
LTTE invented the suicide belt and
pioneered the use of female suicide
bombers. But they also use
conventional weapons - everything
from claymores to tanks to planes to
armed speed boats.
Their first conventional force was the
Charles Anthony Brigade, established
in the early 1990’s.
Reference: Coucil on Foreign Relations http://www.cfr.org/publication/9242/

14. Sea Tigers: The LTTE Navy
Suicide speedboats, merchant
ships, divers/combat swimmers
and even submarines (another
“first” for the LTTE) are
employed by the Sea Tigers.
The Sea Tigers engage in boat-
based suicide attacks, sabotage,
piracy and smuggling operations.
LTTE’s naval branch consists of
over 2000 people with men and
women serving in equal capacity.
Source: Sri Lankan Ministry of Defense
http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20090129_05

15. Air Tigers: The LTTE Air Force
The Tamil Tigers have used fixed and rotary
wing aircraft in both conventional bombing
attacks and 9/11-style kamikaze runs. As
such, the LTTE is considered the first non-
state actor to have an air force.
The LTTE air forces have attacked the Sri
Lankan national tax headquarters as well as
other targets in the capital of Columbo in
addition to attacks on Sri Lankan air bases,
army installations the navy base at
Trincomalee Harbor and other targets.
Authorities currently believe that all LTTE
planes have been shot down, but the Sri
Lankan government has been wrong about this
in the past.
Source: al Jazeera
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2007/03/2008525184856552419.html
South Asia Analysis Group
http://www.southasiaanalysis.org/papers14/paper1398.html

16. Black Tigers: Innovating Suicide
The “special forces” of the LTTE, Black Tigers are selected
from the regular ranks to undergo arduous, lengthy and
specialized training. It is considered an honor to be selected
as a Black Tiger. Tigers wear 3 dog tags (neck, wrist and
waist) to ensure identification in the event of dismemberment.
Black Tigers are highly disciplined and secular. To be
selected, one must apply directly to LTTE leader Velupillai
Prabhakaran. Considered to be the most effective unit of its
kind in the world, the Black Tigers are more pragmatic than
other suicide bombers. Their attacks are well planned and
Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi (above left) was assassinated by have specific, tactical military objectives and are sometimes
suicide bomber, Thenmozhi Rajaratnam (above right), in 1991. used in conjunction with conventional operations
Former President & Prime Minsister of Sri Lanka, Chandrika
Bandaranaike Kumaratunga (below) lost her right eye to a LTTE
assassination attempt in December of 1999. Their first recorded operation was in 1987. In addition to the
actions listed to the left, they have also been responsible for
the death of a Sri Lankan President, the head of Sri Lanka’s
air force, a national security minister and the destruction of
most of the national airline’s planes. LTTE operations
account for approx. 33% of ALL suicide attacks globally. In
all, dozens of specific targets have fallen to the Black Tigers.
See also: Photo Gallery of Black Tigers at
http://ttnet.netfast.org/photos/black_tigers.html
Time
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1193862,00.html/

17. Tigresses: Suthanthirap Paravaikal
The women’s wing of the LTTE, the
Suthanthirap Paravaikal or Freedom
Birds, were formed in the mid-1980’s.
The LTTE supports equal rights for
women. Females are attracted to the
Freedom Birds as a way of ending 3
types of oppression: Sinhalese sexism,
Tamil chauvinism and sexist caste
discrimination
Female LTTE operations begin in 1987
and the number of Freedom Birds
increased rapidly after 1990. The
LTTE’s first female casualty was at the
end of 1987 and over the years
thousands of other Freedom Birds have
died, including over 100 that became
Black Tigers.
Reference: Women and the Struggle for Tamil Eelam http://www.eelamweb.com/women/

18. Children: The Future is NOW!
Why wait for the next generation of Tamil
freedom fighters to come of age when they
can be recruited while still children?
The LTTE and related groups are infamous
for the use of child soldiers. Although the
LTTE currently claims to reject underage
volunteers, Unicef says it has recorded
5,368 cases of reported child recruitment
in Sri Lanka between 2002 and 2006.
While some children simply lie about their
age in order to join the cause, many are
tricked into joining and others are
kidnapped and forced to become soldiers.
Others, orphaned by circumstance, such as
2004 Asian Tsunami or the Sri Lankan
civil war itself, are taken in by the LTTE.
Additional reference: BBC News
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4712318.stm
Reference: Human Rights Watch http://web.archive.org/web/20070516141422/http://www.hrw.org/reports/2004/childsoldiers0104/16.htm

19. Political Wing: Quasi-State?
Prior to the Sri Lankan military’s territorial
gains in early 2009, the LTTE operated the
infrastructure of a functional, parallel
quasi-state in the Northern and Eastern
parts of Sri Lanka under its control.
They operated banks and schools and
assisted in providing health care to those
living in their sphere of influence. The
LTTE ran their own television and radio
stations and collected taxes. Tigers
provided or at least facilitated much of the
2004 Tsunami relief efforts in the areas
they controlled.
Not unlike the TVMP, the Tigers’ political
wing became more active in the years
since 2000, offering a less militant option
for the Sri Lankan government to deal
with.
See also: Battle Progress Map (Sri Lankan Ministry of Defense)
http://www.defence.lk/orbat/Default.asp
Reference: Tamil Eelam Bank http://www.sangam.org/articles/view/?id=260

20. Funding: How’d They Pay For All That
LTTE operations are funded both internally (by
Tamils on the island of Sri Lanka) and exernally
(the Tamil diaspora - LTTE branches in over 50
countries).
For a time, the Tigers ran their own banks. But
they also relied on funds generated through
everything from bank robberies to prostitution to
credit card fraud to extortion. Piracy - both the
traditional kind practiced by the Sea Tigers and
the modern, digital boot-leg variety - has been
another income source.
A great deal of money comes from charitable
donations from Sri Lankans living abroad who
believe in the cause as well as those Tigers who
have to industrialized nations specifically to
establish businesses (restaurants, grocery stores)
to generate revenue to support the LTTE.
Traditional investments (stocks, real estate), as
well as involvement in, but not personal use of,
narcotics andweapons smuggling play major
roles as well.
See also: Al Jazeera
http://english.aljazeera.net/focus/2008/11/2008112019115851343.html
Reference: National Post (Canada) http://ensign.ftlcomm.com/ensign2/pdfarchive/tamilsNationalpost.pdf

21. What’s Next: The Future of the LTTE
As of late February 2009, the government of Sri Lanka has regained
control of almost all territory previously held by the LTTE.
In the wake of these territorial losses the LTTE released a statement
saying that “the international community must do everything in its
power to bring a ceasefire so that the miseries of the Tamils ... are
brought to an end,”
Sri Lankan government officials do not take such statements seriously
and feel that they are only being made due to the LTTE being on the
verge of being defeated militarily. It is the opinion of other analysts
that, in the event of a conventional military defeat, the Tigers will
return to the guerilla tactics of insurgency and fall back into the
countryside. In such a scenario, the LTTE could would continue to
receive external support from the Tamil diaspora.
So long as Velupillai Prabhakaran remains alive to lead and inspire the
Tamils to separatism, the LTTE will remain a threat to the unity and
stability of not just Sri Lanka, but also of southern India and other areas
with considerable Tamil populations.

22. What’s Next: The Future of the LTTE
Even if Velupillai Prabhakaran were removed from the scene and more
moderate people, such as Colonel Karuna Amman, who are willing to
work with the Sri Lankan government through socio-political means
were to gain prominence, it is unlikely that the conflict would be
resolved soon.
This is due to the numbers of LTTE members (especially the Black
Tigers) that would be left and the dedication and devotion to the cause
that they have demonstrated. It is possible that it would not be as
difficult to sway the opinion of the LTTE’s supporters living in other
countries, as they are not as directly involved in the struggle. - and
living in mostly industrialized states where they do not face personal
discrimination.
In the end, it is up to the Sri Lankan government to remove the initial
motivation for the LTTE’s existence in the first place. Having more
universally inclusive policies in place and ending practices that could
be perceived as being discriminatory towards Tamils would go a long
way. At the same time, the Sri Lankan government cannot permit the
blatant criminality of separatist, insurgent attacks. The need for
maintaining order and stability must be tempered with justice and
equality before the law before progress can be made with a new, future
generation of more moderate Tamils.

23. Supplemental References
Sri Lanka troops 'enter rebel town'
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2009/02/200922410421649558.html
The history of the Tamil Tigers
http://english.aljazeera.net/focus/2008/11/2008112019115851343.html
Q&A: Sri Lanka's civil war
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2009/01/200912617918908981.html
Tamil Tiger leader 'hurt in raid’
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7153213.stm
Pressure mounts on LTTE: Tell the truth now
http://sundaytimes.lk/080127/Columns/sitreport.html
Tamil Tigers Banned by the European Union
http://news.softpedia.com/news/Tamil-Tigers-Banned-by-the-European-Union-25088.shtml
LTTE killing civilians, UN says
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2009/02/200921620151665741.html
Tamil Tigers 'ready for ceasefire’
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2009/02/200922341351386686.html
Chronology of Suicide Bomb Attacks by LTTE Tamil Tiger Terrorists in Sri Lanka
http://www.spur.asn.au/chronology_of_suicide_bomb_attacks_by_Tamil_Tigers_in_sri_Lanka.htm
Ken talks to 'front' for banned Tamil Tigers
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard-mayor/article-23479694-details/Ken+talks+to+'front'+for+banned+Ta