(UTV|COLOMBO) – The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) which was involved in decades of bloodshed in Sri Lanka may have been defeated but its ideology still prevails and its sympathisers are still around, said former Malaysian Inspector-General of Police Musa Hassan.
Hence, the group’s ideology and supporters still posed a threat in any country, including Malaysia, Musa told Bernama in an exclusive interview.
The LTTE, led by V. Prabhakaran, started a separatist movement to create the Tamil Eelam autonomous region in the north of the island claiming that the Sinhalese-majority group suppressed the Tamil minority in the country.
The LTTE terror campaign received moral support and funding from many including the Tamil diaspora who sympathised with the Tamil community in the country.
Musa said the threat posed by the LTTE should not be taken lightly as the United States (US) and the United Nations (UN) listed them as a terrorist group and it was also banned in Malaysia and 32 other countries.
Recently Penang Deputy Chief Minister II Dr. P Ramasamy was hit by a barrage of criticisms over his alleged involvement with the LTTE.
Ramasamy has denied this and said that he was only involved in peacemaking efforts between the Sri Lankan Government and the LTTE.
Musa said in 2004 and 2005, Malaysian Police arrested six Malaysians with professional backgrounds, such as lawyers and accountants, for their involvement with the LTTE.
“I received information from the Sri Lankan police then that the group was collecting funds and was assisted by our people, so we had to take action,” he said.
“It’s very likely that the LTTE ideology is still alive, similar to that of the communists, ideologies will not just disappear, and every extremist group is a threat to our country.
“Now, even though its leader Prabhakaran is dead, I believe their networks still exist,” he said.
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