COLOMBO, Oct. 21 -- The European Union (EU) said on Tuesday that lifting sanctions imposed on the Tamil Tiger rebels in the EU is not a political decision taken by the EU but a legal ruling of a court.

Over the past few days, Sri Lanka had been accusing the EU of lifting its sanctions on the rebels as part of a political move against the Sri Lankan government.

The General Court of the European Union annulled measures taken by the Council of the EU against the Liberation Tamil Tigers of Eelam (LTTE) last week, which listed the Sri Lankan rebel group as a terrorist organization and froze its funds.

However, the court allows the freezing of Tamil Tiger funds to be maintained for another three months.

"It is a legal ruling of a court; it is not a political decision taken by the EU governments," said the EU Press and Information office in Colombo.

The court also ruled that the EU law on the prevention of terrorism can apply in situations of armed conflict under international humanitarian law thereby rejecting a claim made by the Tamil Tigers.

The LTTE waged a three-decade war in Sri Lanka, fighting for a separate homeland. They were militarily defeated by the Sri Lankan government in 2009.