Rise of the LTTE in Jaffna

The Tamil New Tigers, under the leadership of Velupillai Prabhakaran, would eventually become the most

dominant of these groups. In 1976, the TNT was formally renamed the Liberation

Tigers of Tamil Eelam, or LTTE. Unlike rival organizations, the LTTE adopted

a highly centralized leadership structure and enforced strict discipline. Loyalty to the leader

and absolute obedience became defining features of the organization. As militant activity

increased, law enforcement responded with arrests and crackdowns, particularly in

the Jaffna region. In 1972, police detained forty-two Tamil youths in connection

with various incidents. Several others, including Prabhakaran, went underground to evade arrest.