Two Anti-ISA Movement (AIM) activists were arrested by plainclothes policemen in front of the Central Market in the heart of Kuala Lumpur at about 3.30 this afternoon.

The two, S Manikavasagam (centre in white shirt) and Sanusi Abdullah, were taken to the Dang Wangi district police headquarters at Jalan Stadium, together with a white Proton Saga belonging to another AIM member parked within the Central Market compound.

Several plainclothes police personnel believed to be Special Branch officers, also ransacked the car and seized anti-ISA leaflets, posters and banners found in the booth.

At press time, police reports were being lodged over personal items missing from the car which was left unlocked in the compound of the Dang Wangi police station and against Dang Wangi OCPD ACP Hadi Ho Abdullah for detaining both men overnight.

"There are also many disturbing revelations cropping up now, but according to the investigating officer, the offence as ordered by Hadi is for possession of illegal leaflets under Section 8 of the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984,"said lawyer R Sivarasa when contacted later in the evening at the police station.

Attempts to get a response on the matter from the police proved futile.