Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
தமிழீழ விடுதலைப் புலிகள்
Also known asTamil Tigers
LeaderVelupillai Prabhakaran 
Dates of operation5 May 1976 (1976-05-05)– 18 May 2009 (2009-05-18)
MotivesCreation of an independent state of Tamil Eelam in the north and east of Sri Lanka.
IdeologyTamil nationalism
Separatism
Revolutionary socialism
Secularism
Major actionsSri Lankan Civil War,List of Attacks
StatusInactive. Militarily defeated in May 2009.
Size18,000, as of 2004, excluding divisions.
Annual revenueUS$200–300 million prior to the military defeat.
Means of revenueDonations from expatriate Tamils, extortion, drug trafficking, shipping, sales of weapons and taxation under LTTE-controlled areas.[citation needed]
FlagTamil Eelam Flag.svg
WebsiteOfficial website(Now defunct)
Preceded by
Tamil New Tigers