by Shamindra Ferdinando
Sri Lanka Saturday welcomed the British government's proposal to take measures against international terrorism.

"It's an important step in the right direction," the foreign ministry's legal advisor, Dr. A. Rohan Perera told The Island yesterday. "We have been asking for this,"

"The government has proposed to enact legislation soon to make it for the first time, a specific offence to conspire there to commit terrorist and other offences abroad," The British High Commission in Colombo said in a statement. It was issued a day after Sri Lanka, commenting on the August 20 US missile strikes on alleged terrorist targets in Afghanistan and Sudan, said that no terrorist or terrorist group should be afforded safe haven anywhere.

"It's a welcome move," former Foreign Minister A. C. S. Hameed said yesterday. During his time, Sri Lanka has alerted the international community to the threat posed by the LTTE he said, adding that powerful countries were not affected enough for them to take action at that time.

"I am happy more countries particularly powerful countries are taking serious measures against international terrorism," he said. Hameed who held the foreign affairs portfolio for more than 10 years and negotiated with the LTTE during the Premadasa presidency said that the international community will have to ensure that innocent people and helpless countries are not put into difficulties in the name of counter-terrorism," he said.

Hameed also stated that he will be able to make a detailed assessment after studying the British proposal further.

"The British government will introduce the new bill which should pass through all its parliamentary stages next Wednesday and Thursday," the British statement said. "This is a valuable opportunity to bring forward legislation, intended by this government and its predecessor, which will close a small but significant loophole in existing law," the British has admitted.

Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar was not available for comment. He and several senior foreign office staffers are in Durban for the Non-Aligned summit there.

Hameed said that the proposed British action was not only aimed at the LTTE but against organisations operating out of the UK. He indicated that the LTTE would not have become what it is today if the powerful countries adopted measures against it earlier.

A retired foreign ministry official who held important posts here and abroad during India's support for Sri Lankan terrorist groups, said that the British move was an interesting one. If properly implemented, proposed anti-terrorist laws will considerably affect the LTTE, he said.

However it was not clear whether Britain intends to put an end to LTTE fund raising campaigns. The new laws would mean that, the LTTE like many other separatist organisations based in UK will come under close intelligence surveillance.

"We are closely watching the situation," a senior Sri Lankan intelligence official said yesterday. Sri Lankan intelligence services are active in countries where funds are raised by extortion and other means. The Indian intelligence services were also involved in operations against the LTTE.

A Tamil politician expressed shock and surprise over the sudden change in the British policy. British High Commissioner David Tatham two weeks ago told the Tamil community to urge their relative abroad to stop funding the ongoing war. Sri Lankan officials said that they hope both the European Community and G-7 countries take effective measures against international terrorist groups. In June 1995, during a visit to London, Kadirgamar was told that the British would monitor LTTE activity.

Sri Lanka expects developed nations to take a tougher stand against terrorism, sources said. Whatever the measures against LTTE and other international terrorist groups must include effective steps to control bogus asylum seekers, they said.

Recent annual reports of the German Federal Office for Protection of the Constitution [intelligence service] have made reference to LTTE's nefarious activities such as the smuggling of people, narcotics and fund raising through blackmail. Germany, according to official records has indicated her willingness to informally exchange information on LTTE activities on a regular basis.

South Africa where the 12 NAM is taking place some time ago turned down an LTTE request to open an office.