COLOMBO: The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) are running “Madrassa type” indoctrination schools in European Union countries in which there is a substantial population of Tamils from Sri Lanka, a top Lankan diplomat has revealed.
Speaking at the Ministry of Defence conclave here, Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Ravinatha Aryasinha, said that the LTTE has established “Madrassa-type” schools called “Tamil Cholai” to “ferment the radicalisation of Tamil youth, and glorify terrorism and martyrdom.”
He further said that students of these schools are forced to participate in propaganda events organised by the LTTE and its front organisations.
An estimated 20,000 Tamil students between the ages of 4 and 21 years are studying in more than 300 “Tamil Cholai” (language) schools functioning in Europe under different names. They receive host government funding in some cases, but in actuality, are directly or indirectly administered by the LTTE, and generate their own funds, Aryasinha said.
Authorities Vigilant
However, the law enforcement agencies in the EU, are vigilant and have taken action against the LTTE, the Lankan diplomat said.
Aryasinha said the recently released EU Terrorism Situation and Trend Report 2014 (TE-SAT 2014) of the EUROPOL had observed that LTTE networks remain in numerous countries, and continued to attempt to rebuild their structures.