GEORGE TOWN, Oct 10 — Two state lawmakers from DAP were arrested this morning allegedly for their ties to the now defunct Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

Penang Deputy Chief Minister P. Ramasamy confirmed the arrest of G. Saminathan who is also a Melaka state executive councillor and Negri Sembilan assemblyman P. Gunasekaren, as well as an ethnic Indian non-governmental organisation leader in Perak, by federal police.

“I was informed Saminathan and Gunasekaren were arrested for their alleged links to the group and another person, I don’t know his name, was also arrested,” the DAP leader told Malay Mail when contacted.

Ramasamy believes the arrests are related to the trio’s attendance at a “Heroes Day” gathering last year, but could not confirm it.

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The Penang lawmaker has also been repeatedly linked to the LTTE — seen as a Sri Lankan terror group by some, freedom fighters by others — by his political foes, despite his consistent denial and argument that the group was destroyed in 2009.

Ramasamy said he will wait for developments when asked if he is worried he may be arrested next.

“I don’t know, we will see what happens,” he said.

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Ramasamy’s dealings with LTTE began in 2005 when he was still a lecturer with Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.

At that time, he lectured on political economy and international conflict management and was actively involved as a negotiator between LTTE and the Sri Lanka government to find a peaceful resolution between the conflict.

Ramasamy was also actively involved in peace negotiations between other groups in Acheh, Geneva and Norway.