The finances of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam have come down by a whopping 70 per cent due to decline in overseas fund raising activities and curbs on its global financial network, terrorism experts have said.

Technically, we have destroyed 70 per cent of the LTTE's chain of financial capabilities around the world and we appeal to the international community and to those countries where the LTTE is raising funds, to support the Sri Lankan government to help combat the tiger rebels, Shanaka Jayasekara, a researcher at the Centre of counter terrorism told an international conference in Colombo.

The LTTE had extended its fund raising capability globally, while concentrating on 12 countries including the USA, UK, Canada [Images] and Australia, Jayasekara said adding, these countries have taken steps to stop LTTE movements and fundraising activities.

He was among experts who spoke at the three day international conference on countering terrorism that ended last week.

The Head of the International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research in Singapore Rohan Gunaratna called for setting up an intelligence centre for terror activities besides developing a technical military intelligence unit.

Elaborating on the Domestic Dimension of Terrorism, Gunaratna said, "We should set up a highly qualified and technologically developed military intelligence unit to pose a threat to the LTTE. Civil intelligence should also be developed and combined with the military intelligence to carry out this unit successfully."

Stressing on the continuity of the intelligence officers, he said despite change of governments "we shouldn't" change or remove the intelligence officers engaged in counter terrorism.

Gunaratna noted that language had a great role as it is a bridge between the security forces and the local community.

Lack of local languages capability among the security forces make it difficult to combat against terrorism, he said.

To combat the LTTE, the government should win the hearts of the Tamil people.

The Tamil people are not supporting the LTTE and many of their political leaders and scholars have been assassinated by the LTTE.

There are Tamil leaders who oppose the LTTE ideology. These Tamil leaders should be involved in the fight against the LTTE and they should be provided maximum security, Gunaratna said.