Sri Lanka to crack down on terror but no rebel ban

COLOMBO, Dec 6 (Reuters) Sri Lanka will introduce tough emergency regulations to curb terrorist activities but will not impose a ban on Tamil Tiger rebels, a senior government official said today.

The cabinet's decision comes after months of escalating violence between the army and the rebels, including bomb blasts in the capital.

Last week, a suicide attack in Colombo targeted President Mahinda Rajapakse's brother Gothabaya Rajapakse, who is also the island's Defence Secretary.

''There will be strong curbs, punishing curbs on terrorist activities, which will involve LTTE activities and all persons who in any way help them,'' the official told Reuters on condition of anonymity after the cabinet made the decision.

''They will be emergency regulations,'' he added. ''A ban was never on the table.'' He did not specify what kind of regulations would be imposed, but officials have said the government would likely reinforce the Prevention of Terrorism Act, which has been dormant since a now-tattered 2002 truce. The legislation gives police and security forces increased powers to arrest and interrogate suspects.

''You can't expect to go on with this campaign of violence and hope that the government will continue with business as usual. This message needs to be sent across,'' said Dr Palitha Kohona, head of the government's peace secretariat.

''At the same time, if the LTTE were to come back to the negotiating table seriously, with a will to ending this conflict, then the government will respond appropriately.'' Rebel leader Velupillai Prabhakaran last week declared the Tigers were resuming their independence struggle. Analysts said this meant the island's long-running civil war would likely escalate.

President Rajapakse has already ruled out a separate state for minority Tamils in the island's north and east, where the Tigers already run a de facto state with its own lawcourts, bank and even speed-gun toting traffic police.

Sri Lanka's conflict has killed more than 67,000 civilians, troops and rebel fighters since 1983. About 3,000 have died this year in a spate of clashes, air raids, artillery duels and suicide bombings.

REUTERS SP DS1250