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New Tamil Tiger head is arrested | New Tamil Tiger head is arrested |
(about 1 hour later) | |
The new leader of the Tamil Tiger rebels, Selvarasa Pathmanathan, has been arrested, officials say. | The new leader of the Tamil Tiger rebels, Selvarasa Pathmanathan, has been arrested, officials say. |
He was arrested in a a south-east Asian country but he is currently being held in Sri Lanka. | He was arrested in a a south-east Asian country but he is currently being held in Sri Lanka. |
The rebels have confirmed the arrest. Mr Pathmanathan became the leader of the remnants of the Tigers after their defeat in May by Sri Lankan forces. | The rebels have confirmed the arrest. Mr Pathmanathan became the leader of the remnants of the Tigers after their defeat in May by Sri Lankan forces. |
But the BBC's Charles Haviland in Colombo says the exact circumstances surrounding his arrest remain unclear. | But the BBC's Charles Haviland in Colombo says the exact circumstances surrounding his arrest remain unclear. |
Mr Pathmanathan is now in the custody of the Sri Lankan authorities after reportedly being picked up earlier in a south-east Asian country. | |
Initial reports from Sri Lankan military officials suggested the arrest took place in Thailand, but Bangkok later denied such reports. | |
Thai government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn denied Mr Pathmanathan was arrested in his country but conceded there were "reports that he has been travelling in and out of Thailand". | Thai government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn denied Mr Pathmanathan was arrested in his country but conceded there were "reports that he has been travelling in and out of Thailand". |
A pro-rebel website said Mr Pathmanathan was abducted from the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur and blamed Sri Lankan and Malaysian intelligence for his disappearance. | A pro-rebel website said Mr Pathmanathan was abducted from the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur and blamed Sri Lankan and Malaysian intelligence for his disappearance. |
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak told reporters he could neither confirm nor deny the report. | Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak told reporters he could neither confirm nor deny the report. |
The full details about the circumstances of the arrest are not likely to emerge soon, our correspondent says. | |
'Very significant' | 'Very significant' |
Speaking to journalists in Colombo, defence spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella, would only say that Mr Pathmanathan was arrested "in the Asian region" within the past couple of days. | Speaking to journalists in Colombo, defence spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella, would only say that Mr Pathmanathan was arrested "in the Asian region" within the past couple of days. |
He described the arrest as "very very significant" because, he said, while Mr Pathmanathan was still at large many people thought the Tamil Tigers were still "alive and kicking". | He described the arrest as "very very significant" because, he said, while Mr Pathmanathan was still at large many people thought the Tamil Tigers were still "alive and kicking". |
Mr Pathmanathan is believed to have run the LTTE's arms procurement and smuggling networks and was wanted by Interpol. | |
He is also wanted in India in connection with the assassination of former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi by a suspected Tamil female suicide bomber in 1991. | |
The war in Sri Lanka ended earlier this year | The war in Sri Lanka ended earlier this year |
"He is... being questioned by investigators at the moment," Sri Lankan military spokesperson Brig Udaya Nanayakkara told the BBC's Ethirajan Anbarasan. | |
At the close of Sri Lanka's war he issued a statement saying the Tigers would try to achieve their goals using non-violent methods. Only two weeks ago he was named as their new head. | At the close of Sri Lanka's war he issued a statement saying the Tigers would try to achieve their goals using non-violent methods. Only two weeks ago he was named as their new head. |
As the new rebel leader, Mr Pathmanathan said the LTTE would try non-violent methods to achieve their goal of a separate state for the Tamil minority. | As the new rebel leader, Mr Pathmanathan said the LTTE would try non-violent methods to achieve their goal of a separate state for the Tamil minority. |