The Ministry of Defence has granted permission to the Police to detain the staff member of Parliament - who was arrested yesterday over his involvement with the National Thowheed Jamaath organization - for three months.

The arrested staff member is attached to the Hansard Department of Parliament and has maintained close links with National Thowheed Jamaath Leader Zaharan Hashim.

Police sources said the suspect had aided and abetted the work of the National Thowheed Jamaath organization in numerous ways. Documents relating to the work of the organization had also been found from his boarding place in a suburb of Colombo.

The arrested staff member is a resident of Alawathugoda, Kandy, police sources added.