The wife of ISA detainee N Gobalakrishnan who visited him yesterday for the first time since his arrest 48 days ago, claimed that he could have been "mentally tortured".

R Vasanthi told malaysiakini today that her husband, who broke down upon seeing her and their three daughters at the Kuala Lumpur Police Contingent Headquarters, "looked thin and acted differently".

"He seemed dull and down, not his usual self. I think he might have been mentally tortured," said the wife of the Keadilan Youth leader.

Meanwhile, detained Keadilan Youth chief Mohamad Ezam Mohd Nor's wife said that her husband told her to be prepared for his possible two-year detention at the Kamunting detention camp in Perak.

Bahirah Tajul Aris who visited her husband for the second time at the city police headquarters yesterday said her children were reluctant to leave their father when the visit drew to an end.

"One of my children refused to let him go and they were all calling out his name," she said.

When asked how Ezam looked, she replied, "From what I saw, I just want him and the other detainees out of there."

Roslizah Syed, the wife of another detained Keadilan leader, Abdul Ghani Haroon, was also permitted to visit him at the city police headquarters for the first time yesterday. However, she could not be reached for comment

Militant means

Gobalakrishnan, Ezam and Abdul Ghani are among 10 Keadilan leaders and reformasi activists detained in an ISA crackdown from April 10 to April 26.

Following the initial seven arrests, Inspector-General of Police Norian Mai said the detainees were planning to overthrow the government via 'militant means'.

They are Keadilan vice-president Tian Chua, party leaders Dr Badrul Amin Baharom, Lokman Noor Adam and Saari Sungib, social activist-cum- malaysiakini columnist Hishamuddin Rais, Free Anwar Campaign webmaster (Freeanwar.com) Raja Petra Raja Kamaruddin and human rights activist Badaruddin Ismail.

With yesterday's visit, all 10 detainees have been granted access to their families.