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LONDON, November 23/PRNewswire/ -- Heroes' Day, an event glorifying Tamil Tiger terrorist
tactics, is due to take place later this month at the London ExCeL Centre in
defiance of UK laws prohibiting the glorification of and support for
terrorism.

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), or Tamil Tigers,
are a proscribed terrorist organisation in the UK under the 2000 Terrorism
Act. Membership of the LTTE, fundraising for the group and encouraging
support for them are all prohibited in the UK. For the LTTE and its
supporters, the 27th November is Heroes' Day. Past suicide missions are
openly venerated and Velupillai Prabhakaran, the military and political
leader of the LTTE, addresses crowds in many countries via video link-up to
raise money and international support for the group.

Holding a public Heroes' Day event in the UK is illegal under
both the Terrorism Act 2000 (for supporting a proscribed organisation) and
the 2006 Act (for glorification of terrorism). However, LTTE-supporting
websites have started advertising this year's celebration. On Wednesday 19th
November, the Tamil language radio station International Broadcasting
Corporation (IBC) informed listeners that the event would take place at the
London ExCeL Centre from 10am onwards. An Ofcom investigation into IBC's
broadcast the day before Heroes' Day 2007 found that, "parts of the programme
included content that could be perceived as either encouraging or inviting
support for the LTTE."

40 percent of LTTE funding comes from UK sources. Despite
this, the government's position towards the LTTE and its supporters lacks
consistency. The ExCeL Centre drew 3,000 supporters in 2007, and 8,000 the
year before when LTTE supporters from around Europe gathered at a leisure
centre in Harrow. Heroes' Day 2007 was filmed by the Metropolitan Police, but
it was not investigated further. Tharisanam TV, a pro-LTTE London-based
satellite TV station, was closed down in June 2008. Yet, Thendral TV, set up
in July 2008, now broadcasts pro-LTTE material across the UK.

Prabhakaran's 2007 Heroes' Day speech praised the
"immeasurable dedication and sacrifice" of the Black Tigers, the group's
suicide contingent. In the same speech, he criticised the international
community for proscribing Tamil Diaspora support for the LTTE. An open video
message this year from Prabhakaran - currently wanted for terrorism offences
by Interpol - would raise serious questions over the government's ability to
enforce UK terrorism laws.

The Centre for Social Cohesion believes it is deeply worrying
that fundraisers for a proscribed terrorist organisation can operate in the
UK with impunity. Whether it's the Tamil Tigers or the extreme Islamist group
Al Ghurabaa, the government needs to show consistency in its enforcement of
the Terrorism Acts.

Source: The Centre For Social Cohesion

Press enquiries: +44(0)207-222-8909 / pressoffice@socialcohesion.co.uk, The Centre for Social Cohesion is an independent think tank, The Centre for Social Cohesion, Clutha House, 10 Storey's Gate, London, SW1P 3AY, +44(0)207-222-8909, mail@socialcohesion.co.uk

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