Assault on Sri Lanka envoy: Police nab five, hunt four others

Five men have been arrested, while four others are being hunted on suspicion of being involved in the assault against the Sri Lanka's High Commissioner to Malaysia, Ibrahim Ansar at the KL International Airport yesterday.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said the five arrested, aged between 27 and 56, were picked up around Selangor, Perak and Kuala Lumpur this morning.

"Those apprehended will be investigated under the Security Offences Act (Special Measures) 2012 (Sosma)," he told reporters after opening the Inspector-General of Police Gallery at Bukit Aman, here today.

Asked if all the suspects were connected to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Khalid said police were still investigating.

"However, I want to remind LTTE supporters out there that the group has been banned by the United Nations, so we can take action against them," he said.

The IGP said Malaysia had laws that must be adhered to and that the LTTE had been declared as a terrorist group.

"We will also look at the actions that can be taken against those who have been vocal in expressing their support and sympathy to the Tamil Tigers lately.

"We know a small group of people had been protesting against the presence of former Sri Lanka president (Mahinda Rajapaksa) who came to Malaysia to attend the International Conference of Asian Political Parties," he said.

Asked on the condition of Ibrahim, Khalid said the Sri Lanka's envoy had received medical treatment at a private hospital in Ampang yesterday, and that, "I was made to understand that he (Ibrahim) sustained bruises on the head and other parts of the body."

On why police did not make arrests when the fracas broke out at KLIA yesterday, Khalid said police initially thought it was only normal quarrel.

"I have seen the footage of the quarrel and it was so chaotic, but the policemen on duty at KLIA thought it was a normal quarrel.

"Action was not taken to prevent the situation from getting worst. After all, where can they go? They can easily be found and arrested," he said.

Yesterday, Sri Lanka Foreign Ministry in a statement on its website stated that its envoy to Malaysia had been assaulted by a group of individuals and the that ministry was working with the authorities in Malaysia to identify the perpetrators and to assist investigations.