81.   The Tigers have been fighting for a Tamil homeland in the north and east of Sinhalese-majority Sri Lanka.

82.   Thousands have been killed in violence linked to the Tamil homeland campaign.

83.   LTTE guerrillas have been battling security forces for more than two decades to establish an independent Tamil homeland.

84.   Prabhakaran grasped an olive branch extended by President Chandrika Kumaratunga last year, but re-started his war for a Tamil homeland in April.

85.   Tamil sources said the LTTE would fight on for a Tamil homeland though.

86.   The attack came despite Colombo government peace initiatives aimed at ending the protracted guerrilla war for a separate Tamil homeland.

87.   The LTTE has been fighting for an independent Tamil homeland called Eelam for the two million Tamil minority concentrated in northern and eastern parts of Sri Lanka.

88.   The LTTE is leading a protracted campaign to establish an independent Tamil homeland for Tamils concentrated in the northern and eastern regions of this Sinhalese majority island republic.