Assistant secretary of state robin Raphel says U-S officials have no illusions about Tamil Tiger rebels and the nature of their activities.

" There is no question that the L-T-T-E has committed horrific acts. To mention one is that bombing (last year) of the central bank building, where dozens of people were mutilated or killed. They have undertaken political assassinations and all sorts of things."

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam have been waging a guerrilla campaign in northern and eastern Sri Lanka for 14-years. Their war for self-determination for Sri Lanka's Tamil people has claimed an estimated 50-thousand lives.

Ms. Raphel says proposals for proclaiming the L-T-T-E a terrorist organisation are being closely studied by state department lawyers, but she said she did no know how long the review will take.

The announcement came at a late Wednesday hearing in the house subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific. In a show of congressional support for the anti-terrorist measure, subcommittee chairman Douglas Bereuter gave the Clinton administration this piece of advice.

"That Is Good. But Let Us Not Review Too Long"

Recent offensive operations by the Sri Lankan army have dealt the L-T-T-E a heavy blow. But the group appears to be able to mount large-scale attacks against the government, particularly in the east of Sri Lanka.

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