Detained asylum seekers could be Tamil fighters

Sri Lanka's High Commissioner to Australia has raised concerns some asylum seekers who have arrived by boat are former Tamil Tiger fighters.


Senaka Walgampaya says he has been told a number of Sri Lankans detained on Christmas Island have war injuries such as shrapnel wounds.


The Federal Government says the detainees will have thorough security checks and it has no information to indicate any them are Tamil tigers.


Mr Walgampaya says the Government should not grant them refugee status.


"We have reason to believe that the Tigers ex-combatants have arrived in Australia on these boats," he said.


"We don't have the exact figures but we have reason to believe probably large numbers have come in - maybe 50, maybe 100 or maybe in that region."


ABC News