Wednesday, 16 June 2010 07:24

The Malaysian police say they had detected the presence of several senior leaders of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) who were reportedly using Malaysia for shelter and logistic base, PTI reported.

According to the report Malaysian Home minister Hishammuddin Hussein has confirmed this adding that that militant groups, both Islamic and non-Islamic, were using Malaysia as their operational base to step up their violent struggle.

He said these groups were also using the southeast Asian country for their financial transactions and exchange of information, besides recruiting people.

“Among those targeted for recruitment are students of local higher learning institutions,” the minister told reporters.

State-run news agency Bernama quoted Musa Hassan, the inspector-general of police, as saying that Malaysian police had detected the presence of several senior leaders of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) who were reportedly using Malaysia for shelter and logistic base.

Hishammuddin said the home ministry was working closely with local enforcement and international intelligence agencies to share data on foreign nationals entering Malaysia and their movements, to curb activities that could threaten national and regional security.

Foreign militants, including remnants of the Tamil Tigers, are using Malaysiaas their operational base and for recruiting new activists, a top minister said today.

Home minister Hishammuddin Hussein said here today that militant groups, both Islamic and non-Islamic, were using Malaysia as their operational base to step up their violent struggle.

He said these groups were also using the southeast Asian country for their financial transactions and exchange of information, besides recruiting people.

“Among those targeted for recruitment are students of local higher learning institutions,” the minister told reporters.

State-run news agency Bernama quoted Musa Hassan, the inspector-general of police, as saying that Malaysian police had detected the presence of several senior leaders of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) who were reportedly using Malaysiafor shelter and logistic base.

Hishammuddin said the home ministry was working closely with local enforcement and international intelligence agencies to share data on foreign nationals entering Malaysiaand their movements, to curb activities that could threaten national and regional security.

The minister’s comments came after Musa said yesterday that foreign militants in insurgent group Jemah Islamiah (JI) were trying to revive the movement by recruiting 20 to 30 local youths, including university students. He said JI wanted them to take part in so-called ‘jihad’ abroad.

This discovery followed the arrest since early this year of 10 foreign JI members who were deported from Malaysia.

“The members, who were harboured by locals, were arrested at various locations and deported from the country,” Musa said.

JI has been linked to al-Qaeda and blamed for major attacks in Southeast Asia, including the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people.