Former LTTE operatives arrested in Sri Lanka

COLOMBO: Four former LTTE operatives have been arrested by police in Sri Lanka on suspicion of trying to revive the banned group's separatist activities.

The police's Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) yesterday issued a receipt acknowledging the arrest of one Krishnapillai Kaileshan who allegedly operated as the LTTEs eastern Batticaloa district intelligence senior.

He was being questioned, police sources said.

It was also said that three more intelligence seniors from the eastern districts of Ampara and Batticaloa and Jaffna in the north had also been arrested in the recent days.

Northern Tamil media sources said that since March 29, some 23 former LTTE operatives had been arrested in the north and east.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Saturday said the government would not permit the revival of the LTTE and it was investigating possible attempts by individuals to organise themselves to form a new terror group.

The LTTE fought for three decades with the government to carve out a separate Tamil homeland. It was defeated by the government troops in 2009.