EU court removes LTTE, keeps Hamas on terrorism list

26 July 2017 04:34 pm - 13 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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The European Union's top court on Wednesday removed Sri Lankan separatist rebels LTTE and kept Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas on the EU terrorism blacklist, Reuters reported today.

It said the Judges at the European Court of Justice (ECJ) overruled the General Court's view of 2014 that the Council of the European Union, the 28-nation grouping, had insufficient evidence to maintain asset freezes and travel bans on Hamas.

The lower court had found that the listing was based on media and internet reports rather than decisions by a "competent authority". But the ECJ said such decisions were not required for groups to stay on the list, only for their initial listing.

"The Council may maintain a person or an entity on the list if it concludes that there is an ongoing risk of that person or entity being involved in the terrorist activities that justified their initial listing," the ECJ said. The EU needed to rely on more recent material than used in its initial decision, it said.

It said the General Court should now examine the facts and arguments it did not consider in its 2014 ruling.

In a parallel case, the top court did rule that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) of Sri Lanka, the Tamil Tigers, should be removed from the EU's terrorism list.

The court said that EU had not produced any evidence to show that there was a risk of the Tamil Tigers carrying out attacks after its military defeat in 2009.

"The Court of Justice therefore confirms the annulment of the continued freezing of the LTTE's funds," it said.

The EU terrorism list, created after the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001 and last updated in January, includes 13 individuals and 22 organizations.

Hamas has been listed since 2003, its military wing since 2001. LTTE was added to the list in 2006.

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Comments - 13

sach Wednesday, 26 July 2017 04:49 PM

what logic is this? Then can we declare Al qaeda as not a terrorist org since Bin Laden is dead?

TMA Thursday, 27 July 2017 04:30 AM

Al Qaeda is still militarily active. Is LTTE?

max Wednesday, 26 July 2017 04:52 PM

Yet another great victory for Sri Lanka, as a result of balance foreign policy, that is being practiced by yahapalana govt!

ceylon Wednesday, 26 July 2017 04:53 PM

mahinda want ltte.because he won because bribing prabakaran.now also want it to gain power again. via DM Android App

max Wednesday, 26 July 2017 04:53 PM

Yet another great victory for Sri Lanka, as a result of balance foreign policy, that is being practiced by yahapalana govt!

ceylon Wednesday, 26 July 2017 05:07 PM

let north decide wether like to unite with the rest.make a referendum.next year california have referendum to decide stay with usa or create new country. via DM Android App

Liberal One Wednesday, 26 July 2017 08:52 PM

Yeah so India and West can sell weapons to two countries that are on war. That is the plan.

SL Wednesday, 26 July 2017 05:33 PM

So,now the camps are shrieked , EU wants LTTE to regroup and put the country back in trouble.

Sheri Wednesday, 26 July 2017 08:41 PM

"The EU had not produced any evidence to show there was risk" - have the judges been sleeping? This terrorist outfit and its supporters are scattered around the world and indeed also in Sri Lanka - discreetly plotting and planning - they were the most ruthless, inhumane terrorist group in the world - have the honourable judges forgotten?

Leo Wednesday, 26 July 2017 08:53 PM

They are rubbing it on our faces now. Ungrateful nations deserve just this.

raj Thursday, 27 July 2017 03:45 AM

EU should consider listing suspected war criminals so that people around be prosecuted if any of those criminals ever travel to EU.

Lankan Thursday, 27 July 2017 03:59 AM

No one need to fear about this if you guys understand the real problem of the minority in Sri Lanka. Give the equality to them and let them consider as SL citizen. What you all do is trying to find who should have more power in the country. Don't try to change the history. Accept the errors from the time British left the country. How many incidents happened to the minority? You all trying to show the issues happened only in LTTE ERA. History gives a change to everyone.

Mohomad Shiraz Thursday, 27 July 2017 09:56 AM

The LTTE who fought for separation of unitary state of Sri Lanka and killed and maimed it citizen for the last 30 years until they were eliminated, the EU taking them off the terrorist list. The Hamas who were fighting the illegal invaders (with the help of US and Europe), suppressors and killers from their land, EU is keeping them in the list as terrorist. Can't anyone see the difference as sky and land that these devils in the west playing chess with rest of the world?

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EU court removes LTTE, keeps Hamas on terrorism list

Comments - 13

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