While I agree broadly with Gregory Clark's assertion (June 11) that the "terrorist" label is applied too broadly by the West, the particular example of the Tamil rebels in Sri Lanka is a puzzling choice indeed. The LTTE, at the peak of its activities, specialized in the indiscriminate bombing of targets that in no way could be considered military in nature. I refer to the 1996 bombing of the Central Bank in Colombo that killed almost 100, the 1987 Central Bus Stand bombing that killed over 100, the bombing of Air Lanka 512, and many, many other examples.
Despite the LTTE's support by an "educated" diaspora — whom I might add did not have to live with the aftereffects of the misery their support caused — it is beyond me how anyone could label these purveyors of chaos and murder anything other than terrorists. If those who set off suicide bombs in crowds of civilians are not terrorists, then who is?