Detained asylum-seekers' spokesman 'Alex' a smuggler: Sri Lankan Govt.
7 Nov 2009, 1624 Hrs

Add comment          Mail          Print          Write to Editor

Sydney, Nov 7 The Sri Lankan Government has said that the leader of a boatload of asylum-seekers held in Indonesia on their way to Australia, Alex, is a known people-smuggler, who had been previously deported from Canada.

Alex is the spokesman for 255 Sri Lankans, whose boat was detained last month and they remain moored at the port of Merak in Java.

"Alex, who led an abortive hunger strike demanding that those on board the boat be granted refugee status, was expelled from Canada in 2003," The Australian quoted a Sri Lankan statement, as saying.Alex had been involved in human-smuggling for a long time and it is believed that his office is based in India. His brother, who is now in Canada, is also involved in human-smuggling and is being sought by Canadian police," the statement added.

Earlier, the Australian Government had said that another known smuggler, Abraham Lauhenaspessy, known as "Captain Bram", had also been found on the boat.

The revelation comes ahead of an expected meeting this week between Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's trouble-shooter on asylum-seekers, John McCarthy, and Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

McCarthy will arrive in Colombo on Monday for a series of talks for solution to the refugee crisis. (ANI)

Related Latest

Be careful while in Sri Lanka, US says Final scoreboard: India vs Sri Lanka, first Test India draw first Test with Sri Lanka Gambhir, Tendulkar help India take slim lead Tea scoreboard: India vs Sri Lanka, day five, first Test India take lead over Sri Lanka at tea Lunch scoreboard: India vs Sri Lanka, day five, first Test India trail Sri Lanka by 78 runs at lunch India fighting to save first Test against Sri Lanka Scoreboard: India vs Sri Lanka, day four, first Test

Related Latest

RSS not interfering in choosing new president, says BJP Coimbatore farmer gets high yield of tomatoes, using green house technology Naxalism foremost challenge before Jharkhand: Sonia Lawyers demanding separate High Court Bench protest in Delhi No 'big ticket' agreements on table during PM's state visit to US Shiv Sainiks attack TV channel offices in Mumbai, Pune; 4 staffers injured Tell Pakistan not to use terror as state policy: Manmohan Singh to US Meenal Thakur in quarterfinals of World Snooker Oprah Winfrey brings curtain down on her talk show Manmohan to seek Obama pressure over Pakistan

• Naxalism foremost challenge before Jharkhand: Sonia
• Coimbatore farmer gets high yield of tomatoes, using green house technology
• Lawyers demanding separate High Court Bench protest in Delhi
• No 'big ticket' agreements on table during PM's state visit to US
• RSS not interfering in choosing new president, says BJP

• भारतीय क्रिकेट की मजबूत दीवार
• कंगारूओं के आगे ढेर, चीतों से कैसे मुकाबला करेंगें शेर
• Reducing greenhouse gases may not be enough to slow global warming
• बीकानेर महापौर चुनावः एक विश्लेषण
• Deepawali: The Festival Of Lights