Top Tiger arrested in Colombo

COLOMBO: The Defence Ministry said on Wednesday that the person arrested by Police in Pettah on Monday was a number one LTTE terrorist suspected to have a hand in many civilian massacres carried out by the LTTE in the South.

The suspect identified as Muththusami Ilankoowan alias Sami was arrested on Monday at a hotel on Kadireshan Road, Pettah.

Some media interpreted the arrest of Muththusami Ilankoowan as an illegal abduction and as a case of disappearance.

The Defence Ministry regretted the manner in which some electronic media reported the arrest of this person ignoring the clarification made by Police spokesman DIG N.K. Illangakone.

The Defence Ministry website quoting a top intelligence official said that Muttusami, a Sri Lankan born Tamil, has strong connections with LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran and also with LTTE international wing leaders such as Castro, Kumaran Padmanadan, David and Iyyanna.

According to the intelligence official quoted by the Defence Ministry the suspect owns a shipping line which he uses to promote the LTTE’s cross border terrorist activities.

According to this report the suspect had come to Sri Lanka last year to promote terror activities in the South.

“Muttusami’s arrest is great achievement, not only for Sri Lanka but also for other countries fighting terrorism,” the senior intelligence official was quoted saying by the Defence Ministry.