Senior Tamil Tigers militant arrested - IGP

A senior member of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) militant group, who had been hiding in the country, was found trying to raise funds to revive the group's struggle in Sri Lanka.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said the 37-year-old man was doing so by extorting Sri Lankans living here.

The man was arrested in a special operation in Kuala Lumpur last Friday, conducted by the Counter Terrorism Division of the police Special Branch, he said in a statement today.

"During interrogation the man also confessed to having been involved in a credit card fraud syndicate in Malaysia, masterminded by several foreigners," said Khalid.

According to him, the man had entered Malaysia in December 2012 using a social visit pass.

Khalid said the man was detained under Section 15 (1) (C) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 for overstaying.

He was deported to his home country today for follow-up action by Sri Lankan authorities, he explained.