LTTE ban: EU to appeal

The Council of the European Union has decided to appeal the Judgment of the General Court in connection with the classification of the LTTE and freezing of its funds.

“The Judgment of the General Court of the European Union annulled measures taken by the Council of the European Union against the LTTE, namely the designation of the LTTE as a terrorist organisation and the freezing of LTTE funds,” it said in a statement.

The statement also said that it was important to remember that the legal ruling was clearly based on procedural grounds and it did not imply any assessment by the Court of the substantive issues of designating the LTTE or of freezing LTTE funds.

“The Council has now decided to challenge some of the findings of the Court regarding the procedural grounds to list terrorist organizations under EU autonomous measures to combat terrorism, as set out in Common Position 2001/931. The effects of the Judgment are suspended until a final judgment is rendered by the Court of Justice,” it said.

The EU institutions are also studying other appropriate remedial actions that may be taken to avoid possible annulments in the future, the statement added.