LTTE LEADERS AMONG SEVERAL FOREIGNERS ARRESTED IN M'SIA

PUTRAJAYA, April 22 (Bernama) -- A number of key leaders of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) were among several foreigners arrested by Malaysian police between August 2009 and March this year.

Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said the arrest of the LTTE leaders was
made known to Sri Lanka's Defence, Public Security and Law and Order
Secretary, Dr Gotabaya Rajapaksa, when they met at the recent Defence Services
Asia (DSA) Exhibition at the Putra World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur.

"Rajapaksa appreciates the efficiency of our security forces, resulting in
the arrest of the LTTE leaders," he said in a statement issued here Thursday
following Defence Minister Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's statement Wednesday that
foreign criminals were making Malaysia their hiding place.

Hishammuddin said Malaysian police had arrested 599 foreign nationals
between 2008 and March this year for smuggling and trafficking in drugs.

He said the police also busted several human smuggling and trafficking
syndicates involving 1,567 victims during the same period.

Hishammuddin said the people need not be worried following Ahmad Zahid's
statement as the ministry was always monitoring the situation, while the police
and other agencies of the ministry were also always on the alert and taking the
necessary measures in addressing the problems.

"The ministry is working with all the security agencies and the Defence
Ministry in safeguarding the nation's security from outside threats, including
from foreign criminals trying to make Malaysia their hiding place or using it
as a transit point for human and drug trafficking," he added.
-- BERNAMA