High Commissioner Ansar discharged from hospital after treatment of injuries

Sri Lanka's High Commissioner in Malaysia Ibrahim Ansar has been discharged from hospital after treatment for injuries sustained in a violent attack launched on him within the country's international airport, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said. 

Mr Ansar was punched and kicked repeatedly by a group of men in full view of CCTV cameras inside a restricted, staff-only area of the airport. The spokesman said he and others from the Sri Lankan High Commission were trying to exit the airport after dropping off some visiting Sri Lankan VIPs. They had seen several groups of people lying in wait throughout the airport and were trying to find a safe way out. 

However, they were spotted by a group that pursued them. In desperation, Mr Ansar had fled into an area marked staff-only where he was subjected to the vicious attack. It also remains a question how high-security CCTV footage recorded by the airport authorities was released to the public so quickly after the incident, which took place on Sunday afternoon. Towards the end, the 59-second shot also shows one of the men videoing the attack on High Commissioner. 

The Sri Lanka Government has expressed strong displeasure at the Government of Malaysia for failing to provide protection to the High Commissioner amidst three days of protests by pro-LTTE demonstrators. Sri Lanka's Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the High Commissioner to the Ministry Foreign Affairs on Monday to express condemnation of the assault. 

The Foreign Secretary expressed disappointment that the Malaysian authorities had failed to provide necessary protection to Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner despite the High Commission bringing to the notice of relevant Malaysian authorities, the need for such protection, in the face of mounting protests especially in the last few days.

Five men have now been arrested while Malaysian police are in the lookout for another four. The High Commissioner's mobile phone was found in the possession of one of the perpetrators, who had been released by police shortly after the incident.