Petition for Rehearing denied

[TamilNet, Saturday, 04 September 1999, 15:33 GMT]
The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia denied the petition for rehearing and suggestion for rehearing en banc filed by the Liberation Tigers on the 9th of August 1999. The petition sought to invalidate the provisions in the Anti-Terrorist and Death Penalty Act under which the U.S State Department designated the LTTE as a terrorist organisation.

Ramsey Clark, a former U.S Attorney General and the lawyer for the LTTE said, "We are disappointed the Court of Appeals has denied our Motion for Rehearing as we think this case presents important issues such as rule of law and separation of powers."

The Petition was considered by Chief Justice Edwards, Circuit Judges Wald, Silberman, Williams, Ginsburg, Sentelle, Henderson, Randolph, Rogers, Tatel and Garland, and Senior Circuit Judge Buckley.

Legal sources close to the litigation said that the remaining direct means of review is before the U.S Supreme Court.

On June 25th, the Court denied the Petition filed by the LTTE challenging its designation as a Terrorist organization by the Department of State under the provisions of the Anti-terrorism and Death Penalty Act.

In its original Petition challenging the designation LTTE identified itself as the de facto government of the Tamil Nation and stated that it engaged in an armed campaign due to the failure of peaceful means and the absence of a forum to realize the Tamils' right to self-determination. LTTE also said that its actions are not a threat to U.S interests.

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10.08.99   Petition for Rehearing filed in U.S Court