Five more with alleged LTTE links held

KUALA LUMPUR: Five more men have been detained over alleged links to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) terror group after a swoop earlier this week nabbed seven people, including two DAP assemblymen.

Sources said the latest suspects were detained in Melaka, Penang and Selangor by the Counter Terrorism Division (E8) yesterday.

“Two suspects were arrested in Melaka, two in Penang and one in Selangor. Authorities believe that they have been supporting the terror group, ” a source told The Star.

The suspects were detained under the Security Offences Special Measures Act (Sosma) 2012. Bukit Aman is expected to have a special press conference today on the arrests.

It is understood that in Melaka, a senior state official and a DAP member were picked up.

On Thursday, seven men were arrested by Bukit Aman in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Negri Sembilan, Melaka, Perak and Kedah.

Among those arrested are Melaka exco member G. Saminathan, who is also Gadek (Melaka) assemblyman, and Seremban Jaya assemblyman P. Gunasegaran.

Police had been monitoring their movements since November last year, presumably after the group held LTTE Warriors Day events in several states.

Earlier at another event, the Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador gave his assurance that the rights of those arrested would be maintained as stated under the law, adding that he also made that clear to his men.

“I have already instructed my officers to ensure that their rights as per the law, such as family visitation and legal aid, must be fulfilled.

“I don’t want allegations that they are denied this or that right, ” said Abdul Hamid after officiating the National Sports Day in Bukit Aman.

The country’s top cop reiterated that the arrests were carried out with sufficient evidence.

“Anything that has any whiff of terrorism will be handled by us according to our SOPs. We can’t rush into it either.

“An investigation has to be made before any action can be taken. It doesn’t matter who is involved.

“Safety matters are under the purview of the police. I guarantee that we will be fair and follow the SOPs.

“If they are innocent, we will bring it to the Attorney General and if they feel that we do not have sufficient proof, then let them make the decision, ” said Abdul Hamid, urging the public, including politicians, to remain calm.

Referring to the recent assassination attempt on Indonesia’s chief security minister Wiranto, Abdul Hamid said he did not want a similar incident here.

“We see how certain individuals need not display that they are of certain groups. But inside, they have been radicalised.

“Our intentions for the arrest is to stop them from ‘graduating’ to more dangerous levels like suicide bombing and the like. This is all for the safety of the country.

“Nothing to do with politics, race or religion. That is my guarantee, ” Abdul Hamid said.

In IPOH, Human Resources Minister M. Kulasegaran said he only sympathised with the victims of the Sri Lankan civil war, adding that “what happens in another country is their internal matter”.

“Don’t trust what’s on the Internet as people can make allegations. It’s not fair to ask me whether I am involved, ” he said to a question on his alleged link to LTTE after a picture of him with a member of the group surfaced on social media.

“Let the police investigate it, ” he said, adding that it would be good if those arrested were brought to court.

MIC president Tan Sri S.A. Vigneswaran said the LTTE was formed by Sri Lankan Tamils to protect the minority community who were persecuted in that country.

He said it must be noted that the worldwide diaspora which sympathised with LTTE were not terrorist and did not support and fuel terrorism activities.

“They were merely showing support for a cause to bring an end to the sufferings of their fellow Tamils.

“Can anyone be arrested for showing sympathy?” he asked, adding that he observed that the arrests have shocked the Indian community.