Malaysia's Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P. Ramasamy today challenged Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar to show proof that the three Sri Lankan nationals arrested recently were LTTE militants.

He said the LTTE had long been disbanded and the arrested Sri Lankan nationals held cards issued by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to stay in this country without action being taken against them by the authorities.

"How can he (Khalid) say that the LTTE exists? The Malaysian police do not conduct any study. They just act when they receive information from Sri Lanka ... these people are Tamil refugees.

"I challenge the inspector-general of police to show proof and I am prepared to debate with him. Do not just detain Tamil refugees who are in need of shelter," he told a news conference in Malaysia.Three Sri Lankan nationals were arrested on May 15 following several raids in Petaling Jaya and Klang.

Khalid had said that these people had entered Malaysia in 2004 and had kept their activities undetected for about 10 years by hiding under the cover of the UNHCR refugee visas, Malaysia's Bernama reported. 

However, Police Spokesman of Sri Lanka  SSP Ajith Rohana said on Tuesday that the three suspects were brought to Sri Lankan on Mionday and they were being questioned by the Terrorist Investigations Division.