By Reggie Fernando, London Correspondent

A Sri Lankan organisation here, the Sinhala Bala Mandalaya (UK) has reacted swiftly to America's weekend warning to the world 'to brace itself for a war against international terrorism' and the Irish Prime Minister's measures designed to crush terrorism by pointing out to British Prime Minister Tony Blair that although over 90,000 innocent civilians have been killed in Sri Lanka by LTTE terrorists, yet the British Government have failed to proscribe the LTTE and close down its headquarters from where they organised the raising of funds for such activities.

The letter dated August 22, signed by the Sinhala Bala Mandalaya and addressed to Tony Blair reads:

"At a time when your government, the British and the Irish people mourn the death of innocent civilians brought about by a bomb exploded by faceless cowardly terrorists in Omagh (Northern Ireland) the Irish Prime Minister has unveiled draconian anti-terrorist measures designed to crush the faceless cowards. We sincerely believe that you and your Government will take similar steps to crush only terrorism in the UK but in other parts of the world as well.

"We in Sri Lanka have been battling against terrorism for over twenty years. Over 90,000 innocent civilians, including 31 Buddhist monks have been massacred by LTTE terrorists. Places of worship have been bombed, damaged or destroyed. Ethnic cleansing have been successfully carried out by these terrorists in the North and East of Sri Lanka.

"Whilst all this is happening the super powers and the European countries wittingly, or unwittingly, turned a Nelsonian eye to the whole affair. To our pleas of help, they turned a deaf ear. At times when it appeared that the Sri Lankan Government was winning the fight against the terrorists, there was economic and political pressure applied by interfering foreign powers and NGOs. It is a well known fact that the terrorist wars in developing countries provide a lucrative business for arms dealers and a testing ground for new weapons for arms manufacturing countries.

"Our organisation has, time after time, pointed out to your Government and the governments before your that Britain has become a haven for LTTE support groups, and that as long as Britain tolerate these people and permit them to have their international headquarters here, terrorism in Sri Lanka will never cease.

"The lame excuse given by successive Home Secretaries that it is 'hard to differentiate between Tamil refugees collecting money for humanitarian purposes or for financing terrorism' must now come to an end. Money collected for genuine humanitarian purposes should be channelled through legitimate means. This will prevent the abuse of the foreign exchange system and the money getting into the wrong hand.

"The American President has vowed that there will be no sanctuary for terrorists and has condemned countries harbouring terrorists. We applaud you for backing President Clinton in every action he has taken so far and intends to take to eradicate terrorism. A wolf is still a wolf even in sheep's clothing and therefore, known terrorists in pinstripe suits, roaming the streets of western capitals should not be afforded the protection of refugee status; and allowed to collect funds for terrorist activities in another country.

 "We once again request you and your government to proscribe the LTTE and close down their headquarters in London."