KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) - Four suspects have been arrested in connection with a dramatic shootout and robbery at Malaysia's main airport which left five people injured in a hail of bullets, the police said Sunday.
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Thieves, who ambushed two money changers and their security guard outside the departure hall, escaped with more than a million dollars in cash in the incident earlier this month.

Police chief Musa Hassan said four suspects, who were found with firearms, were arrested in three separate raids on Friday in the southern state of Johor, state Bernama news agency reported.

Musa said police confiscated cash worth 779,622 ringgit (243,631 dollars) in Malaysian, Singaporean and American currencies in the raids and seized five automatic pistols as well as handcuffs and bullets.

The four suspects are said to have stayed overnight in a budget hotel in Sepang, where the airport is located, and then fled south to Johor, the Star newspaper said, citing sources.

In the April 9 incident, five victims, including the changers and their armed security guard, were shot by several robbers as they were transporting cash to an outlet on the fifth floor of the airport.

A Nepalese bystander and an off-duty policeman were also caught in crossfire which lasted for five minutes before armed robbers escaped with 1.5 million Singapore dollars (1.05 million dollars) in cash.

More than 50 bullets were littered along the driveway of the departure hall, which was also strewn with shards of broken glass from large panels that were shattered by gunshots.

Following the shootout, Malaysian police have introduced armed patrols of the main airport's departure and arrival halls around the clock to provide extra security.
4/20/08