Citation

Sarvananthan M. Perspect. Terror. 2018; 12(2): 1-18.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Terrorism Research Initiative and the Center for Terrorism and Security Studies)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This article based on extensive empirical field research and primary sources/data attempts to distinguish terrorism from liberation / freedom struggle by means of a case study of the armed struggle of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in Sri Lanka. It is argued here that the LTTE was primarily a terrorist organisation/movement because: (i) it's struggle was overwhelmingly based on armed violence; (ii) it demanded support from the masses through persecution; (iii) it intentionally targeted civilians; (iv) it substantially relied on suicide attacks; (v) it substantially deployed under-age children; and (vi) it was proactively involved in internecine war. © 2018 Terrorism Research Initiative.

Language: en

Keywords

Terrorism; Sri Lanka; Civil war; Tamil tigers; LTTE; Freedom fighters; Liberation