Three arrested in Britain over LTTE links

LONDON: Three men, including two brothers, linked to proscribed LTTE militant group were arrested today in Britain on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism, Scotland Yard said.
    
Counter-terrorism officers raided residential and business properties at dawn in Newtown, Powys, Mitcham, south-west London and Surrvey following which the trio were arrested, the sources said.
    
Vithytharan (39) and Jegatheeswaran Muraleetharan (46) were arrested at separate addresses in Newtown and a third - Murugesu Jegatheeswaran (33) - was held in Mitcham, they said.
    
Muraleetharan and Murugesu are brothers, running a company called Radio Metrix, manufacturing radio circuit board and other radio communications equipment, sources said.
    
"This is part of a long-term investigation into alleged funding and procurement activity in support of terrorism overseas and two people have already been charged in connection with this investigation," a Scotland yard spokesman said.
    
"It is not linked to al-Qaeda type activity or inspired terrorism. It is in relation to support, procurement and fund-raising for a proscribed organisation, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (Tamil Tigers)," the spokesman said.
    
All the three were questioned at Paddington Green police station in London on Tuesday.
    
"At 6.30 a.m today officers from counter-terrorism command supported by police executed search warrants at a number of residential and business addresses in Newtown, Powys," a spokesman for the Metropolitan police said.
    
"Further warrants were executed at addresses in Mitcham and Surrey. Three men were arrested," the spokesman said.
 
"A 46-year-old and 39-year-old were arrested at separate addresses in Powys and a 33-year-old was arrested in Mitcham on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism," the spokesman said.
 
The LTTE has been fighting for an independent homeland for the ethnic minority Tamils in the north and east of Sri Lanka since 1983. The group is banned in the UK.
 
In June last year, two men, both from south London, were charged with terrorist offences in connection with the same investigation. There are LTTE networks both in London and Paris where sympathisers work to raise money for sophisticated weapons and other support.
 
One of the men is accused of arranging meetings of the Tamil Tigers and addressing an event in Hyde Park, in London. He is also accused of amassing a hoard of military equipment including machetes, combat boots, camouflage clothes and handcuffs.
 
Last November, Tamil Tiger leader Colonel Karuna Amman was arrested in a joint operation by British police and immigration officials.