Leading rebel arrested in Bangkok

Blacklisted by police since Apec summit, returned to Holland

BANGKOK: -- Police arrested a leading member of Sri Lanka's Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE) rebel movement in Bangkok on Monday.

Joseph Limtam Marria Ampilia was seized in his room in Samphanthawong district along with two Indian nationals.

The man held a travel document issued by the Netherlands and had been on the immigration police blacklist since the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Bangkok last October.

According to a police source, the man arrived in Thailand last Saturday, left for Cambodia through Sa Kaeo province on Sunday and returned on Monday.

He was initially detained at the immigration police headquarters on Suan Phlu road and then sent back to the Netherlands.

The source said many members of the Sri Lankan rebel group came to Thailand to buy weapons.

Three LTTE members were arrested in Ranong province in the South on May 12 with a quantity of firearms.

The three Tamil rebels had allegedly bought the weapons from a group of 14 Thai nationals.

The group comprised two air force officers, six police officers and the owner and staff of a Bangkok gun shop.

--The Post 2004-05-27

The group comprised two air force officers, six police officers and the owner and staff of a Bangkok gun shop.

--The Post 2004-05-27

So much for national security