Ship suspected with illegal immigrants:

Lanka, Canada on alert

The Sri Lanka High Commission in Ottawa and Security Agencies in Colombo have been in close contact with authorities in Canada following reports in the media about M/V Sun Sea which is reportedly heading towards the East Coast of Canada carrying over 200 illegal immigrants from Sri Lanka.

The High Commissioner in Ottawa Chitranganee Wagiswara met Canadian Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Jason Kenney yesterday and discussed mutual concerns on illegal immigration and human smuggling from Sri Lanka which are linked to LTTE operations outside the country.

The High Commission also had extensive discussions with officials of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Department, Citizenship and Immigration Ministry Canadian Boarder Services Agency Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Canadian Security and Intelligence Service.

The Canadian authorities were briefed on the activities of the LTTE elements resorting to criminal activities through front organizations.

Their attention has been drawn to the threats to international and national security arising from transnational crime which includes terrorism, drug trafficking and human smuggling and the need for greater international cooperation at the diplomatic as well as operational level to combat these threats to national security.