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US FBI officials here on Tiger probe
The United States is sending a top level team to Sri Lanka comprising agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Department of State. They will arrive in Colombo on January 24.

The Sunday Times learns that among other matters the team will familiarize themselves with the prevailing security situation and activities of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. The LTTE is a banned organization in the US.
The team is to determine matters relating to Tiger guerrilla links to other terror groups against whom US is now waging a war. It is also likely to focus on money laundering and similar activity by Tiger guerilla groups in violation of US laws.

The visit is the direct outcome of the US tour by Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera. He held talks in Washington D.C. with senior officials of the Department of Defence and officials dealing with counter terrorism, financial crimes and related matters.

It was only last Tuesday that US Ambassador Jeffrey Lunstead warned the LTTE that if it chose to abandon the search for peace, the Sri Lankan military would emerge “stronger, more determined and capable”.

Speaking at luncheon meeting of the American Chamber of Commerce (Sri Lanka Chapter), he said US military assistance to Sri Lanka would continue but added that that did not mean the US feared a war would erupt. (See also Thalif Deen’s column on Page 14)

Meanwhile, R. Nicholas Burns, US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs – the No. 3 in the State Department — will also arrive on January 24.
Mr. Burns is set to meet President Rajapakse and other top government officials during his two-day visit before heading to New Delhi to prepare for U.S. President George Bush’s arrival later this month.

These top-level visits take place amid growing concern by the international community for what is left of the cease-fire and a possible flare-up of war.
The European Union's commissioner for external relations, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, said earlier this week,"we may now be witnessing Sri Lanka's slow but resolute drift back towards civil war."

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